


Only One Survives

by zouissexcam



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games, Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-16
Updated: 2013-06-10
Packaged: 2017-11-25 18:46:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/641877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zouissexcam/pseuds/zouissexcam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two decades after the rebellion and Katniss Everdeen’s disappearance from the public eye a new regime came into power in Panem and the Capital brought back the games, more grueling than ever before. When the reaping for the 96th Hunger Games brings together a unique set of personalities,  the impending death of 23 trails on the end of the romances, a reminder of what’s to come. Everyone knows that once the 24 teenagers are thrown into the arena, only one can survive.</p>
<p>
  <a href="http://tieba.baidu.com/p/2543879627">Chinese Translation by Jas_KBB </a>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Reaping

“Zayn, honey,” A gentle voice wove into Zayn’s subconscious, floating past the black haze of his sleep, “You have to wake up, we don’t want to get into trouble with the peacekeepers.”   
  
Zayn rolled over, hoping that she would go away like she always did, give him ten more minutes of sleep before he had to work the fields. Today she was persistant as she sat at the edge of his tattered bed and gently shook his shoulder, “Zayn, I need your help getting your sisters washed and ready.” Her voice trembled slightly on her next words, “It’s Reaping Day.”  
  
Zayn’s eyes flew open at those three words. Reaping. He had forgotten all about it. He sat up and gave his mother a quick smile before moving to get dressed, his mind trying to block out the possibility of his younger sisters getting reaped. He grimly wondered how the date could have slipped his mind. As the man of the house, reaping day brought an almost unbearable amount of stress. He not only worried about getting reaped, leaving his mother without someone to do the heavy work that would bring them extra money, but he also worried about one of his sisters getting reaped. If they were chosen to go to their death Zayn wasn’t sure he would be able to control himself.  
  
He put on his nicest pair of pants and his best shirt, the ones that only had two or three patches and not five or six, before leaving his corner of the two room house and moving into the kitchen. He placed a quick peck on his mother’s cheek before going to help his youngest sister tie her hair up with a fraying ribbon.  
  
It took them an hour to get ready and eat breakfast. The girls trying hard to swallow the dry bread that they had stored as Zayn quietly recited his morning curses at the Capitol, the head of his district and the people of the rebellion nearly forty years ago for not fixing Panem so his family wouldn’t have to live like this. The least his family should get was better meat, they were District 10 after all.  
  
All too soon, Zayn’s mother stood up, shakily wiping off her hands, “Alright everyone, let’s get down the the square before the Peacekeepers come for us.”  
  
The Maliks left their house, joining the silent throngs of families making their way to the reaping. Zayn glanced around and nodded to a few people he knew from the market-place or from working the fields, but he was mostly focused on the death grip his mother had on his hand, wishing he could tell her that it would okay, not to worry.  
  
But Zayn didn’t see the point in empty promises. Even if none of them got reaped he still had another year before his last and his sisters had several. Even if they made it through their eligible years they would get married, have kids and go through the process for eighteen more years. If for some reason none of them got married they were still stuck in this hell hole of a district as the rich elite in the Capitol ate the fruits of their back-breaking labor and cheered for the deaths of the poor.  
  
Zayn despised them all.  
  
Once they reached the square Zayn was separated from his family and sent to stand with the other boys his age. He hardly paid attention as the video played, reminding them all why their lives were a pointless, mundane and rotten to the core. He didn’t bother reciting the capitol representatives speech with her, although he knew it all by heart. He only paid attention when her ridiculously long finger-nails reached toward the glass bowl that he knew to contain papers with his sisters’ names on them.  
  
“Ladies first, as usual,” The words said the laughable Capitol accent didn’t detract from the terror Zayn felt as she extracted a single piece of paper and unfolded it, pausing to smile dramatically at the cameras, “Roo Quinoa.”  
  
Zayn silently released the air he had been anxiously holding in, sending his mother a quick grin as a girl his age was pulled from the crowd and marched, pale-faced, to the stage. Silence met the Capitol’s representative as she asked for volunteers. No one volunteered in District 10 and the girl on stage knew it, her eyes not even bothering to pleadingly scan the crowd. The district may be united in their suffering for 364 days of the year, but on the Reaping it was every person for themselves.  
  
Zayn was so estatic that he forgot to worry about the possibility of his name being drawn so when the woman read off the paper, “Zayn Malik,” he didn’t quite believe his ears.  
  
Everyone around him turned, clearing out a small circle of space so that the owner of the name would not be misidentified. When a Peacekeeper grabbed his forearm and pulled him into the aisle created for the tribute to walk down Zayn was still in shock. He followed the man up to the stage, the blood pounding in his ears, making him slightly dizzy and turning the representatives voice to an odd faraway sound.  
  
He scanned the crowd as she asked for volunteers, unsurprised to see none. He turned to Roo and shook her hand as the woman instructed them to and then turned back to the crowd, trying not to mirror the tears that were now sliding down his mother’s face.  
…  
Zayn sat inside the Justice Building, staring out the window but not seeing anything, his mind was completely empty. He had no idea what to think, what to do.  
  
The knock on his door startled him and he turned just in time to see a Peacekeeper tell his family, “Ten minutes.”  
  
His sisters ran at him, hugging him as they soaked his shirt with tears. Zayn returned their hugs, holding back tears of his own, he didn’t want to cry. He didn’t want to be singled out as a weakling if his eyes were red when he went to the train tomorrow.  
  
“Girls, listen to me,” He said firmly, “I need you to listen to everything mom says. Do whatever she tells you to do and study hard in school. Under no circumstances do I want you to watch the games once they start, you can watch the parade, the interview, not the games. Cover your eyes.” He knew that he had a good chance of being brutally murdered and he didn’t want the image to live with them.  
  
He gave each girl a kiss on the head before saying, “Go outside, I want to talk to mom.”  
  
They obeyed and Zayn took his mother’s hands in his, “Mom, whatever happens you have to keep going. You have to be there for the girls, find some way to make sure they can survive here without me. I’m not going to stop fighting in that arena, I want to come home. But if I don’t make it, you can’t stop fighting either. You can’t let the Capitol break you, that’s what they want.”  
  
“I don’t care what they want, Zayn,” His mother said, her eyes brimming with more tears, “I just want you to come home, baby.”  
  
Zayn hugged her, “I’ll try, mom.” He murmured into her shoulder, “I promise that much.”  
  
She pulled back and moved to unclasp something from her neck, holding it out to Zayn. He stared at the necklace dangling in the air in front of him, taking in the thin leather of the string and the tiny emerald hanging from the leather.   
  
“Your father gave it to me, I want it to be your district token. When you’re in the arena it won’t just be me with you, but your dad too.”  
  
Zayn took the necklace, rapidly blinking away the wetness he felt building up in his eyes before murmuring, “Bye, mom.” As the Peacekeeper arrived and took her away.  
…  
In the morning the Peacekeepers knocked on the door of a completely awake Zayn, he had been unable to sleep at all the previous night. As they led him down the elevator and to the front door he steeled himself for the camera he knew would be zooming in on his face, looking for any sign of weakness. If the Capitol wanted terrified he was sure Roo would do fine for the both of them.  
  
They were lead to the train and got on quickly, both letting out a gasp as they saw the luxury of the inside of the vehicle. Their escort, the Capitol representative smiled at them, “Nice isn’t it?”  
  
They nodded, unable to reply in the presence of the elegance laid out before them and the woman laughed, “Well, why don’t we eat.”  
  
“No,” A stern voice at the door stopped Zayn and Roo as they moved to the table, “We watch the recap of the Reapings first.”  
  
A tall man with tan skin and short black hair stood at the door, his brown eyes scanning the Tributes standing in front of him. The only surviving District 10 victor moved into the room, motioning towards the television in the corner. Teff Emer, Zayn had seen parts of the games he had been in. Teff had been very deliberate in his strategy, picking off his opponents one-by-one so he would win at the age of fifteen.   
  
“But, sir. We didn’t get to eat breakfast,” Roo said.  
  
Teff shrugged, “You can eat now, or survive the games, your choice.”  
  
Zayn followed Teff to sit in front of the TV without a word, listening carefully to the man’s commentary as they watched the Reapings from the other districts. Teff was his best chance at surviving, he was going to listen to everything the man had to say.   
  
The first words of out of Teff’s mouth as they watched the Reapings were, “What’s the name of that Tribute again?”  
  
Their Capitol representative, Zayn was about twenty percent sure her name was Abelia, or something equally frivolous. glanced at the notebook she carried with her, “Niall Horan.”  
  
Teff pursed his lips as he watched the District One male volunteer along with another boy, before speaking a few words into the other volunteer’s ear, making him withdraw himself from the running with a pale face. The boy walked to the stage with a cocky grin on his face, his blonde hair gleaming in the sun as his eyes stared down the camera, a glimmer of amusement in their blue depths, “That’s one to watch.”  
  
He said the same thing about the District Two boy, who had knocked another volunteer unconscious with a single punch, Louis Tomlinson. As well as Ares a burly looking boy with an impossible to pronounce last name.  
  
Roo cleared her throat before saying, “Any other advice besides, ‘watch that one’?”  
  
Teff gave her a slightly amused look, “Don’t die.”  
  
Zayn thought over the two words as he lay in his bedroom on the train, staring the ceiling. No matter how much he wanted not to die. Those blue eyes kept swimming to the forefront of his mind, reminding him that others wanted not just for him to die, but to be the one to kill him.


	2. The Parade

The next morning Zayn was woken by a knock on his door, “Get up! If you want to eat before we arrive at the Capitol you have to get up now!” Abelia’s shrill voice floated easily past the door to reverberate in his skull.  
  
“I’m up!” He called back, rolling out of bed.  
  
Sitting on the dresser were clothes clearly from the capitol even though they looked simple enough, a plain white shirt and black pants. Zayn put them on before making his way to the dining car. Roo, Teff and Abelia had all started eating and Zayn took a seat without a word to the rest, grabbing a piece of toast and a glass of orange juice.  
  
Teff cleared his throat, “Well, now that you’re both here, do you have any chance of surviving the games? What can you do?”  
  
Roo shrugged, “My dad’s a butcher so I can at least hold a knife correctly.”  
  
Teff nodded and turned to Zayn, “What about you?”  
  
“Don’t know. I can hold my own in a street fight but I’ve never held a weapon.”  
  
Teff sighed, “We’ll have to find something you can work with.”  
  
Zayn nodded in response, not pointing out that Teff sounded like he had already given up on him. Abelia glanced at her watch and then jumped out of her chair, “We’ll be at the training center in twenty minutes. My goodness I have to make sure everything is ready!”  
  
She rushed out the room and Zayn frowned after her. What an extremely odd woman.  
  
Teff saw his face and grinned, “Trust me, you don’t get used to it.” He drained the last of his drink before saying, “We’ll figure out what personality you’ll present to the Capitol later, for now I want you to smile and wave, got it?”  
  
Zayn and Roo nodded, smile and wave, simply enough.

Twenty minutes later saw Zayn and Roo standing at opposite windows, staring wide eyed at the Capitol and its grotesque looking citizens.  
  
The crowd waiting for the train was huge and Zayn’s earlier belief that he could easily smile and wave flew out the window as he saw how many people here didn’t understand, or more likely didn’t care, that he would probably be dead in a manner of weeks. Their clothes were worth more than Zayn could ever hope to make in a month. He backed away from the window and walked down the length of the car.  
  
Roo turned from her window, “Teff will be upset if you don’t stay.”

Zayn shrugged, “That’ll be his problem. I’m not going to be gawked at like an animal by those idiotic Capitolites.” He exited before Roo could reply.  
…  
A small timer went off and a pair of purple eyes framed with glittering silver eyelashes hovered over Zayn’s head.  
  
“Done!” The woman helped him sit up, “Just over to that sink to wash off.”  
  
Zayn did so, grateful to get the burning cream off his face. He was certain that if he lived the games he’d never be able to grow facial hair for the rest of his life.  
  
“Well hun, you’re done. Certainly the most good looking boy we’ve ever gotten. Just wait here and I’ll get Lou.”  
  
Zayn sat down on the edge of the bed the odd woman had left him next to, resisting the temptation to run a hand over his unnaturally smooth skin. His stylist was a small woman with blonde hair who didn’t seem to care about the Capitol trends as her face was only touched with trace amounts of makeup that seemed to make her face glow in the light.  
  
She sat across from Zayn, “Well, my assistant was very excited about you. My name is Lou and I’m not going to lie your district is normally the hardest to dress, there’s not many places you can go with dressing people like cattle, or like prehistoric ranchers.” Zayn didn’t reply, there was no point because everyone knew the parade was usual embarrassing for anyone from District Ten to watch, “So I decided to look at what we get from the cattle.”  
  
Zayn frowned, “Meat?” He wouldn’t put it past one of the stylists.  
  
“No, leather.” Lou grinned, “It’s a good thing you have a nice body isn’t it?”  
…  
Two hours later saw Zayn standing in a black chariot next to Roo who was squirming uncomfortably in her dress made completely from black leather. The bottom corner of her gown covered with small white circles patterned after a cow that spread tastefully out and stopping below her waist. Zayn glanced down at his own clothes, he wore black leather pants and had been deprived of a shirt.  
  
When he had complained to Lou she laughed, “I don’t know where you got them but you have nice abs, kid. We’re going to use them.”  
  
He wore a leather jacket trimmed with white and on the back in the style of a rancher’s brand were the words District Ten. Lou had scoffed at the idea of putting heavy make up on him, simply putting on what she called ‘foundation’ before sending him on his way.  
  
As they sat in their chariot Zayn looked around at the other tributes. Standing in the District Seven chariot was a thin looking boy with curly hair and green eyes that looked deep in thought. They locked gazes and the boy gave him a lazy grin, revealing dimples before turning to listen to his district partner, a girl with matching brown hair.  
  
Zayn’s eyes trailed over to the chariots that carried the richer districts, stopping on the bejeweled chariot with a large ‘1’ on it. He studied the boy in the chariot, his blond hair styled to look tactfully messy, his white suit studded with diamonds and sapphires. The boy, _Career_ , Zayn reminded himself must have felt his gaze because he turned his attention toward them, his blue eyes cold as he studied Zayn.   
  
“What are you doing?” Roo whispered, “Don’t draw the careers' attention, you’ll be dead before you know what’s going on.”  
  
“What’s his name again?” Zayn replied, still not taking his eyes off of the blue ones.  
  
“Um, I think it was Niall. Why does it matter?”  
  
Zayn shook his head, dragging his gaze away from Niall to look ahead, “No reason, just curious.”  
  
The gates opened and the cheers silenced the two as the magnitude of what was happening settled over them. The chariots slowly moved forward as Zayn concentrated on what he needed to do, he needed sponsors and to get sponsors he had to win over the crowd.  
  
“From District Ten, Zayn Malik and Roo Quinoa!” The announcer said.  
  
Their chariot rumbled down the line and into the open air. Zayn blinked rapidly to adjust his eyes to the flashing lights of cameras as he put on his best smile. When he caught sight of himself in the screen he couldn’t push away a small smirk at the irony of the fact that this was the nicest he had ever looked and it was because he was being marched to his death. The smirk seemed to make the crowd louder though so he let it stay on his face.  
  
The chariots moved into a circle and Zayn couldn’t help his eyes from sliding to look at the District One chariot, Niall was staring at him. His face completely devoid of any type of indicator that would tell Zayn what was going through his mind. Zayn found himself unable to look away from those blue eyes until Niall did first, turning to smile at a camera that had turned towards him.  
  
Zayn could tell Roo had noticed but he let his eyes scan the crowd instead of meeting her questioning gaze. The Panem anthem played and the chariots exited the area into the stables. Lou was there to help Zayn off the chariot as Roo’s stylist chattered the with girl.  
  
Lou opened her mouth to say something but then raised her eyebrow, “You have company, we’ll chat later.”

Zayn turned and found himself face to face with the District One tribute and found with a shock that he was actually a touch taller than him. His eyes were twice as intimidating up close and Zayn found himself swallowing heavily at the dangerous air the other lad gave off.  
  
Niall’s eyes traveled to the chariot Zayn had just stepped off of before he stuck out his hand, “Niall Horan, District One.”  
  
Zayn shook the offered hand, “Zayn Malik, Ten.”  
  
Niall nodded a knowing look in his eyes, “Hard to recognize you in outfits that don’t look like crap.”  
  
A second blond head appeared next to Niall and a girl scowled at him, “What are you doing talking to trash? We have to talk about training.”  
  
“I was mingling,” Niall said, not taking his gaze off of Zayn while he spoke to his district partner, “Lighten up a bit, Perrie.”  
  
Perrie glared at Niall, “Come on, we have to go.”  
  
She stalked off and Niall watched her go for a few seconds before turning back to Zayn, running a hand through his hair, “I guess I have to go, I’m sure I’ll see you around Zayn.” He turned and left and if Zayn hadn’t lost his senses completely he would’ve sworn Niall had winked at him.  
  
Lou moved back next to him, watching the career walk away, “Careful, Zayn. They’re tricky and he looks like a mean one.”  
  
Zayn nodded and followed her out of the stable, trying to push the blue eyes out of his head.


	3. The Training

“He came up and spoke to you last night and you’re just now telling me about it?” Teff scowled over the table.

Zayn shrugged, “You didn’t really give me a chance last night.”

It was true. Teff had spent the hours after the parade instructing his two charges how to behave during training, “Don’t gain too much attention and for heaven’s sake don’t make any enemies. Roo, make sure you go to the knife station and learn some tricks. Zayn, get some survival skills and try to pick up a weapon.” The list of instructions rattled on for the better part of two hours.

Now Teff’s scowl got deeper, “If I had known a career had talked to you I would’ve changed some instructions.”

“Change them now.”

“Find out what he wants and don’t trust him, not even for a second. Roo, Since Zayn will be cozying up with the careers I want you to meet the people from the lower districts. You two should know everyone by the time the games start.”

Roo and Zayn nodded in understanding and Teff leaned back in his seat, “Now to the uncomfortable business. Decide now, do you want me to train you separately?”

Zayn frowned, “Why?”

Teff shrugged, “In case you’re planning on double-crossing each other in the arena.”

Zayn considered Teff before turning to meet Roo’s gaze. He eyed her silently, thinking over this new option. She was almost a guaranteed ally if they agreed to train together, and she had more fighting capabilities at this point than he did. After a few moments of silence he turned back to Teff, “I don’t see the point in training separately, I’d like to have Roo as an ally in the arena.”

Roo smiled softly, almost in thanks for not betraying her so early in the games, “Same.”

Breakfast continued on with Abelia’s near constant chatter and Teff cutting her off every few minutes to give the two Tributes another piece of advice that had popped into his head until it was nearly ten. At that point Abelia hopped out of her chair, yanked Zayn and Roo to the elevator with a quick wave at their mentor.

The training rooms were on the ground level, the speed of the elevator making the ride down too quick to attempt a conversation. The doors opened to a mammoth gymnasium filled with everything that would ensure deaths in the arena. Zayn’s quick sweep revealed loads of weapons, obstacle courses as well as simulated environments and at least two dozen instructors.

Although Zayn and Roo were early they were nearly the last one’s there and they gathered with the other tributes in a circle thick with tension. A cloth square with the number ten was pinned on the two’s backs as Zayn tried to remember the names that belonged to the twenty-two other teenagers. The others seemed to be avoiding eye contact, and if they did meet his gaze it was only with disdain, or in the cases of the boy from Four and the girl from Six, a glare. 

Thankfully a well built young man joined the circle, a person that Zayn soon learned was the head trainer, to explain what would be happening. There were experts at each station that would remain there for the duration of training while the tributes were free to roam around from station to station. There were experts in fire-making, knot-tying and plant identification as well as the expected weaponry and assistants on hand for all of the stations. From what Zayn gathered the Capitol didn’t want the Tributes fighting each other until they could televise it to all of Panem.

The trainer continued to go over rules, what was to expected and tons of other things that Zayn was sure were at least mildly important and that he wanted to listen to. He found that _wanting_ to listen and actually listening were two very different things  as his eyes kept flicking to a pair that were constantly trained on him. The gaze from across the group was hard to read in terms of intent, but Zayn knew who it belonged to before he glanced up to meet the blue eyes.

A small smirk was playing around Niall’s lips as he eyed Zayn. Zayn wanted nothing more than to ask the District One buy what the hell was so entertaining, but he figured interrupting the head trainer would not give him a good impression.

He was so transfixed by the blue orbs that were across from him that Zayn didn’t realize the trainer had stopped talking until Niall’s less than friendly District partner yanked the blond lad’s arm, pulling him away from Zayn’s gaze. Zayn blinked a few times and shook his head slightly to clear it.

“Now that you’re back to earth,” Roo’s voice was dry next to him, “Get talking to that Career boy, I’m going to go speak to the pair from Five. See you later.” With that she left Zayn in the middle of the training room, the last Tribute to get moving.

His eyes followed Niall as the other lad moved immediately to one of the weapon’s stations but Zayn couldn’t pluck up the courage to actually walk over and just start talking to the lad. Regardless of how innocent the bright blue eyes, brilliant smile and blond hair made Niall look, he was from District One, and thus part of the bloodthirsty Tributes known as the Careers.

As Zayn idly watched Niall pick up a small ax and lob it easily at a target he sighed, the Careers would probably be in the final five group of Tributes at the very least, though it was likely it would be one of those few who would win the Games seeing as how, unlike the others, the boys and girls from the wealthy districts had trained their whole lives to be in the games.

After Niall had lobbed another three axes at a target, Zayn turned his back on the lad and moved towards the knot tying station. Although he hadn’t expected someone to already be there. The curly haired lad from District Seven was sitting on the ground, his long fingers twisting a piece of rope around easily.

Zayn let the instructor give him some string and set him to work on a simple snare, sitting down across from the other boy as he concentrated. Zayn let himself completely focus on the rope, tuning out the other noises around him, so when he was addressed he looked up in surprise.

“Pretty fancy knot tying, did you do that back in Ten?” The voice was low and slightly gravely, the words rolling off the boy’s tongue slowly.

Zayn shook his head, “Not really, we don’t have much rope in Ten.”

The boy nodded, his green eyes scanning Zayn’s face as he revealed a grin framed with a set of dimples, “My name’s Harry Styles, nice to meet you. You had the fancy parade costume.”

Zayn grinned wryly, “I think we all had fancy parade costumes, that is the point of the damn thing. My name’s Zayn Malik.”

Harry’s grin widened, “I don’t think anyone doesn’t know who you are right now. So, Zayn Malik, what are you doing at a useless station like knot-tying. You seem like you would be over chatting up the Careers.”

“What makes you say that?”

The other boy shrugged, finishing his snare with a final knot, “Because you could probably get in.”

Zayn laughed, “And have them kill me the first chance they got? No thanks.”

They chatted easily for another twenty minutes, going through all the snares the trainer could give them. Harry mastered them much quickly than Zayn did, his long fingers sliding around the rope as if they had a mind of their own. It was only when they were out of knots to try that Harry stood.

“Well I should get moving to another station before my mentor kills me, find me later and we can talk some more.” The lad gave him another grin before wandering off, his eye caught by the sword station.

Zayn sighed and looked around, he would have preferred to just stay here with Harry all morning but he knew that not only was that not an option, but Teff would probably blow a top if he found out about that. So he found himself walking through the training room, his eye traveling over the other Tributes.

He saw Roo standing next to the boy from Nine as they worked on making a fire. He saw the girls from Two and Five talking as they did some knife work and a large group of tributes learning about tracking footprints.

He decided to make his way over to the ax station, hoping he could learn how to wield one in a relatively short amount of time. After learning the basics the trainer had him practice fighting combinations on a dummy. He was slightly ashamed to admit that he found the station oddly soothing. Though there should be nothing comforting about pretending to kill a training dummy, swinging the hand ax in different maneuvers helped clear Zayn’s mind. Zayn lost himself in the standard training that the head of the station was giving him, completely unaware of how long he had been there until the man tapped him on the shoulder and told him it was time for lunch. Zayn sighed internally, more socializing, and left the station attaching himself to the tail end of the group of Tributes as they walked into the eating area.

Zayn got his food before he bothered to look around and see who was sitting with who. He smiled slightly when he saw Roo and Harry talking quietly as well as a couple of other Tributes. He scanned the tables quickly once, then did a look over, telling himself that he wasn’t wondering why there was only one blond sitting down at the tables.

“Pretty fancy ax work,” The voice came from behind him, of course. Zayn turned and saw Niall standing there, his eyes scanning what may or may not be preliminary alliances before they met Zayn’s, “Looked like you already knew how to use one.”

Zayn shook his head, “No, not really.”

The other lad raised his eyebrows, “Quick study then,” He glanced at the food still in Zayn’s hands before smirking, “You do know that you’re supposed to sit down and eat the food, right?”

“Yes.” 

Niall’s smirk widened and he turned around, moving away. As he walked he called out over his shoulder, “Well come on, then.” 

Zayn hesitated. It was easy for Niall to invite him to sit with him at lunch, the other boy had little to worry about in terms of competition here, and Zayn wasn’t one of the people who could actually give Niall trouble in the arena. For Zayn, however, sitting to lunch with a boy who had asked to be here wasn’t something he was overly fond of. Regardless, Teff would kill him if he didn’t follow Niall over to a table, so that’s what he did.

He sat down across from the blond lad and his partner, in between the boy from Two and the girl from Four. He frowned slightly, wondering where the other two careers were.

“Ares is a prick,” Niall explained, interpreting Zayn’s expression correctly, “That’s the boy from Four. Dessa’s off talking to some other Tributes. She’s the girl from Two.” He gaze switched to the lad sitting next to Zayn, “What’s her game, Louis?”

Louis shrugged, “How should I know? That’s her business. Better question, what’s yours?”

Zayn wished he had the courage to speak up and agree with Louis, but he had seen how the lad behaved. One wrong comment and he would verbally, and probably later, physically tear you apart. His cerulean blue eyes were scanning Zayn with a slight mischievous glint. Something that might have caused Zayn to write him off as a simple jokester, if it weren’t for the fact that Louis was known to have a short temper and master training to match it.

Niall was grinning, “What, I can’t talk to Zayn?”

Perrie rolled her eyes, “Waste of your time, unless you’re thinking of allying with him,.” Her voice was laced with contempt.

“Lovely to talk to as always, Perrie,” That was the girl from Four, Scarlette.

Niall laughed and Zayn’s eyes were tugged away from where he had been staring determinedly at his food to meet Niall’s gaze. The laugh that had come out of the boy’s mouth was so joyful and carefree that he wasn’t sure it had actually been Niall. He was still laughing slightly and Zayn watched him with wide eyes, trying to resist the urge to join in. The laugh was contagious, even making Perrie smile slightly.

“Anyways,” Niall said, when he had finished laughing, “DId you know that he’s never held an ax before?”

Zayn suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable as all four pairs of eyes turned on him. He supposed that if he had the guts to look up and meet each gaze he would’ve been able to tell what the Careers thought about the information.

“Really?” The word rolled off of Louis’ tongue slowly, as if he didn’t quite believe it.

Zayn shrugged, “We don’t have many in Ten, so, yeah.”

There was another few moments of silence before the Careers seemed to decide to talk about it later and changed the subject. Zayn finally tore his eyes from his plate as they began discussing how pathetic the other Tributes were. Niall’s eyes were still on them, the almost permanent smirk playing on his lips.

Lunch finished without anything interesting happening, the Careers ignoring Zayn as if they had yet to make up their mind about him. When it was time to go back to the training gymnasium Niall fell into step with Zayn and the district Ten lad had to bit his lip to keep from echoing Louis’ question. What game was the blond boy playing at? 

When they entered the gymnasium Zayn’s eyes were immediately drawn to the elevated stands around the room where a couple dozen men and women in purple robes sat, murmuring to each other.

“The Gamemakers,” Niall explained, his gaze sweeping the group, “It wouldn’t hurt to impress them.”

Zayn nodded without a word, scanning the group of people who would be trying their hardest to make his probable death entertaining for hundreds of spectators.

“Try not to glare at them too much,” The words were laced with laughter, “They could give you hell in the arena.”

“Probably will anyways,” Zayn shrugged.

“Standing around isn’t doing us any good, want to head to a station?”

The raven-haired boy stared at Niall in silence, his eyes narrowed slightly as he contemplated why the Career would want to train with someone from a lower district.

Niall grinned, once again reading Zayn’s mind, “What? I’m not allowed to enjoy your company?”

“No, considering that you’re going to try your hardest to kill me.”

“Says who?” Niall’s grin was widening, as if he found the whole situation amusing and frankly it pissed Zayn off.

“Logic. You’re a Career. Everyone knows you can’t trust a Career. You may be friendly now but once we get in the arena you’re going to hunt me down and drive a spear through my chest.”

“Oh, I’m not a fan of spears,” His voice was lofty, almost disinterested.

Zayn scowled, “Whatever. I’m not playing your little game, Horan.” He turned to walk away and was stopped by a strong grip on his wrist. One that was too tight to pull out of but not tight enough to be painful.

“Look. Ares is a pain in the ass, Louis’ a sarcastic prick and Perrie’s a bitch. Dessa, I don’t even know what she does with her time but I don’t trust her. That leaves me with Scarlette who probably has dibs on my head anyways. I’d rather spend time with you than with those five. You’d at least probably hesitate before murdering me.”

Zayn stared at the hand around his wrist until it was gone before looking up to study Niall, trying to decide of his words had been genuine, “You wouldn’t hesitate before murdering me.”

Niall sighed, “ Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn’t. I guess not since I won’t have spent any time with you outside of the arena.”

The ultimatum was laid out on the air between them simply, almost as if Niall hadn’t realized what he was saying, but Zayn understood what it meant. Walk away from him now and in the very likely chance they met in the arena Niall would kill him, no second thoughts. Spend some time with him and Niall would likely spare his life, at least once.

“Have you been to the unarmed combat station?” Zayn asked and Niall shook his head, “Cool, let’s do that one.”  
…  
The second day of training went in a nearly identical fashion. Zayn moved around the room before lunch, socializing with the other tributes, spending most of his time with Harry. Lunch he was pulled over to sit with the Careers.

They had seemingly had a conversation after the previous day’s training and he was absorbed into the group as if he was supposed to be there, almost a replacement for the district Four boy that everyone hated. There were six people at the table the second day, the district Two girl having detached from her acquaintances with the lower districts.

“So, Zayn, what are you doing for your private session,” She asked the question casually, her eyes fixed on him in a way that made Zayn feel like she was considering the most enjoyable way to kill him.

He shifted in his chair, “Not quite sure.”

She nodded slowly, “You still have a good twenty-four hours.”

“What’s up with Three and Eleven?” The question came from Niall, and Zayn let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he had been holding in under the girl’s scrutiny, thankful for Niall’s rescue.

All eyes moved to a table where the boy from Three, Zayn was sixty percent sure his name was Liam, and the girl from Eleven, Danielle were laughing over some shared joke.

Perrie’s eyes glinted, “Looks like a little bit of romance over there. I call dibs.”

Louis snorted, “On which one?”

“Both of them.”

Zayn frowned, “Dibs?”

The new girl, Dessa, shrugged, “Perrie gets first right to kill them in the arena.”

Zayn’s eyes moved back to the two and felt a tug on his heart, certain that their deaths would be heartbreaking.  
….  
“You want to talk to the doomed lovers?” Niall’s voice was skeptical as Zayn led him over to the camouflage station where Liam and Danielle sat.

“Yes.”

“Perrie’s going to kill you.”

“Probably,” Zayn admitted, he had already come to the conclusion that the district One girl was most likely to go after him in the arena, he didn’t care at this point.

The trainer, who obviously couldn’t believe there were so many people at his station, set the two up with the camouflage materials, a grin in her face as she watched Niall and Zayn sit across from Liam and Danielle.

The pair’s conversation had stopped the moment Niall and Zayn had arrived at the station, eyeing the lad’s with suspicion, Niall more so than Zayn.

Zayn gave them a grin, “Hi, my name’s Zayn.”

“Liam.”

“Danielle.” Danielle’s eyes left Zayn and fixed on Niall, “Aren’t your friends going to be disappointed that you’re over here?” Her voice was understandably sharp.

Niall simply shrugged, “Not really. They think your relationship is cute. Naive, but cute.”

Zayn glanced sharply at his companion, startled at the cool edge his words had taken on as he answered Danielle. It was a tone he had never heard before, one that made it easier to believe Niall was a cold-blooded killer.

Danielle had obviously heard the danger in Niall’s voice because she blushed and scooted slightly closer to Liam. Liam was studying Niall as if he was a puzzle he wanted to sort out.

“Your brother won the games, the 94th ones.” Liam said.

Niall nodded, ‘Yeah.”

Liam smiled, “That’s cool for you, I suppose.”

They worked with light conversation, Zayn upset at how genuinely nice the boy from Three was. His brown hair and eyes lighting up as he talked about different subjects, his soft smile when Danielle asked for help. Zayn was a bit ashamed at his wish that someone would kill Liam early so that they wouldn’t meet in the arena.  
…  
When Roo and Zayn stepped off the elevator onto the tenth floor, Teff was standing there with his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on Zayn.

Zayn sighed, “What did I do?”

“I don’t know,” Teff said, “From what I’ve seen, not much in the training room. Which is why I’m confused about the request I got this afternoon.”

“Which was?”

“The Careers, well, the boy and girl from One, the boy from Two and the girl from Four, want to make an alliance with you. I talked to their mentors today.” 

Roo shrugged, “Doesn’t surprise me, he sat with them at lunch today and yesterday, and him and that One boy are around each other all the time.”

Teff scowled, “What did I tell you about letting your guard down?”

“I didn’t,” Zayn said quickly, “But he’s a helpful tutor, okay. What did you tell the mentors?”

“That I’d talk to you about it, are you going to join the Careers?”

Zayn bit his lip, considering the question, “I don’t know, let me sleep on it and I’ll tell you later.”  
…  
The next day Zayn still hadn’t made a decision. He went through the morning training as if he was on auto-pilot, his eyes traveling between the Careers as he thought through the benefits and dangers of joining such a bloodthirsty pack of Tributes.  
He ate lunch with Harry, Liam, Danielle and Roo, reluctant to deal with the questions the Careers undoubtedly had for him.

Evidently, that wasn’t enough to stay away from them. When the food was all but gone someone slid into the seat next to Zayn and he knew without looking that it was Niall.

“Ready?”

“For what?”

Niall laughed, pulling a smile onto Zayn’s lips almost against his will, “For the private training sessions. They’ll start calling us in a few minutes.”

“Oh yeah, I have a while though. They go by district.”

“I don’t,” Niall pointed out, ignoring the weird looks he was getting from the others at the table, unsure as to why a Career was sitting with them.

“You don’t have anything to worry about,” Zayn said, “Other than deciding what weapon you’re going to use. You’re going to do fine.”

It was the truth. After spending several hours with the district One boy both days Zayn knew very well how skilled Niall was. Capable of picking up any weapon and becoming scarily lethal with it and that knowledge made Zayn grateful that he was at least on speaking terms with Niall, secure in the fact that at the very least Niall wouldn’t hunt him down unless he had to.

Zayn didn’t allow himself to believe that he had become friends with Niall. For one, they barely knew each other and regardless of how easy it was to enjoy himself around Niall they hadn’t known each other long enough to actually be friends. The biggest issue was the fact that they were both being thrown into an arena, and only one person was going to be leaving. No matter how fun and easygoing Niall was now, once he was in the arena Zayn was positive he would turn into a different person.

“Yeah, well the others were wondering if you’d made a decision. They’re not very patient.”

Zayn raised an eyebrow, “Really? Patience is just what I think of when I see Louis or Perrie.”

Niall snorted, “Absolutely. So?”

“No, not yet. I just, I don’t know. It’s a hard decision to make.”

Niall nodded, watching as a young woman walked into the room, more than likely to take him to his private training session, “I’ll find you when the training is over.”

“Why?”

“Niall Horan, District One.” The woman’s voice carried easily through the room.

Niall stood, “Because.” Then he was following her down the hallway.

Zayn frowned after him before turning back to the others at his table. Their eyes were all locked onto Zayn and he saw Roo open her mouth, “Not one word.”

She grinned, “Fine. We can talk later, with Teff.”

He glared at her before Harry began talking about something entertaining he had seen the other evening. It wasn’t long before Perrie left, then the pair from Two. Before Zayn realized it, Liam was standing and leaving with a small smile at Danielle.

The number of Tributes in the room quickly began to dwindle and all too soon another name was being called, Zayn’s name.  
He stood without thinking about it and placed one foot in front of the other so that he was following the woman down a long hall. His mind was completely blank and his stomach was curling in on itself. He entered the gymnasium and moved to the center, bowing to the Gamemakers before moving to a weapons rack.  
…  
“Zayn, Roo, they’re about to announce the training scores!”

The two Tributes stumbled into the main room of their floor, settling onto the couch in front of the television. Their faces pale as they pressed their lips together, watching the announcers in silence. 

Both had gone straight to their rooms after their session, refusing to talk about how their session had went, but now the whole nation would be finding out.

Naturally, Niall’s face was the first one on the screen, followed by a number.

 _Eleven_.

Teff let out a low whistle, “Been awhile since I’ve seen one that high.”

Every Tribute was scored on a scale of one to twelve. One meaning the Tribute had almost no chance in the arena, twelve being a score so high that it was nearly unreachable. Although the score gave no guarantee of how good or bad a tribute would do in the games, it did have an effect on the likelihood of attracting sponsors. And since even a single gift from a sponsor could be the difference between life or death, a high score was wanted.

It was usual for Careers to score between an eight to ten, eleven being nearly as rare as a twelve. Zayn watched the score leave the screen, wondering what on earth Niall had shown the Gamemakers.

_Perrie Edwards: Eight_

_Louis Tomlinson: Nine_

Zayn nodded to himself, those scores seemed about right.

_Dessa Kaeso: Four_

The number made Zayn frown, he had witnessed the district Two girl take down a trainer in a matter of seconds. She was one to watch, perhaps purposely attempting for a low score.

_Liam Payne: Seven_

Impressive for a non-Career. Most of the scores reflected what Zayn had observed during the training day, except for one.

_Harry Styles: Ten_

“What the hell did he do?” Zayn muttered, in complete shock. Granted, he hadn’t seen Harry pick up a weapon, but the fact that he had pulled a score higher than most of the Careers was unsettling.

_Zayn Malik: Nine_

_Roo Quinoa: Seven_

Cheers sounded from Teff and Abelia, the latter clapping her hands excitedly, “Wonderful scores you two!”

“I was honestly expecting you to get ones from the way you came in here,” Teff added, “Well done.”

Zayn grinned, rising from the couch, “Thanks.” He moved away.

“Where are you going?” Teff asked.

Roo giggled, “He has a secret meeting with Niall.”

“The eleven-pointer? Why?”

Zayn shrugged, “Didn’t ask, but after that score I’d prefer to not make him made.”

Zayn got into the elevator before another question could be asked, hesitating before pressing the button for the lobby. He had no idea where to even look for Niall. He zoned out as the elevator shot down the levels, smiling as he thought about how high his score was. It had been better than Perrie’s, Scarlette’s, even Ares’. 

When the elevator stopped and the doors slid open Zayn moved to get off, his mind still elsewhere. Someone else stepped inside, yanking Zayn back before punching a button for the highest level.

Zayn frowned and blinked at the person, pulling his thoughts back to the present. Niall grinned at him, “You were about to walk onto the district One floor. You should be careful, Perrie’s already pissed at you.”

“Not my fault,” Zayn shrugged, “Where’re we going?”

“You could’ve tried to get a lower score than her,” Niall joked, ignoring the question.

“She could’ve tried for a higher one.”

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened once more, Niall leading Zayn out onto the landing of a flight of stairs. They walked up them, Zayn’s eyes widening as he saw they were on the roof of the training center.

“How did you find this?” He asked.

“My brother, Greg, told me about it.” Niall replied, scanning the flowers artistically placed around the roof, “It’s clearly meant for a girl to appreciate, but it’s nice to get out of the center, you know?”

Zayn moved to the edge of the room, staring out at the Capitol, trying in vain to take in everything that sprawled below him. 

“A nine, though. That’s impressive.”

A sigh left Zayn’s lips, they were back to the Games. That seemed to be all anyone here could talk about, “Not as impressive as an eleven,” Zayn replied.

Niall ran a hand through his hair, “Yeah, I suppose. I should’ve tried to avoid it though. I’m sure the others will be after me as soon as they get the chance.”

“I didn’t think about that.” Zayn murmured, his eyes straying back to the lights of the Capitol, “Why are we up here?”

“To be honest, I don’t really know. I just felt like talking somewhere the others wouldn’t bother us.”

Zayn turned, meeting Niall’s gaze. It was different from the other times they had locked eyes. The hard edge to Niall’s eyes was gone, replaced with what looked like curiosity, “You’re not joining the Careers.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I don’t know yet.”

“I do. You’re not. You’re scared of the others,” Niall said.

“Scared of you too.” Zayn admitted, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Niall nodded, “Makes sense, you don’t really have a reason to trust any of us, do you?”

“No. I still don’t even know why you talk to me.”

“Me neither,” Niall said, walking closer so that he stood next to Zayn, his eyes looking out over the city, “I just felt like getting to know you. You’re interesting. Your eyes are. Hard to look away from.”

“Mine?” Zayn said, surprised. He couldn’t even count the number of times he had met Niall’s gaze and had been unable to tear himself away. The blue seemed to draw him in until he couldn’t leave.

“Yes, yours. I don’t know,” Niall said, “But it’s been cool hanging out with you the past couple of days. We have interviews tomorrow, then the arena.”

“Can I ask you something, Niall?” Zayn wasn’t sure what compelled him to say this, but the words were already out his mouth and Niall was already nodding, “If I don’t die in the bloodbath and the Careers end up hunting me down, I want you to be the one to kill me.”

“Why?” The word was devoid of emotion, Niall not even glancing in his direction.

“I hope you’d do me the courtesy of getting it over with quickly.” Zayn said.

Niall didn’t respond right away, but eventually he sighed, “Fine. If that happens, I’ll get it over with quickly, but Zayn, try to stay out of our way. I don’t want to have to kill you.”

“If we cross paths, though?”

“If I’m not with the Careers, I’d let you go along your way. If I can avoid it, I’d rather not kill you. I don’t want to.”

Zayn stared at him curiously, “Why? We hardly know each other.”

Niall returned the look, opening his mouth to say something before stopping. The blue of his eyes seeming to get darker in the light, full of an emotion that Zayn was hesitant to name. He didn’t know who moved first, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to, but one moment they stood staring at each other and the next Niall’s lips were on Zayn’s. The blond boy’s arm wrapping around Zayn’s waist to pull him closer.

Zayn knew he should’ve pulled back, said goodnight and rushed to his room. This was getting in too deep, this was letting his guard down with a boy who might have to end his life. Yet, as Niall’s tongue slid into his mouth Zayn couldn’t bring himself to care and he laced his fingers through the mass of blond, surrendering himself to Niall’s embrace.


	4. The Interviews

“Well you got in late last night.” The off-handed comment Teff made when Zayn walked in the main room for breakfast almost made him blush. Almost, not quite.  
  
He sat next to Roo, grabbing a piece of toast to butter, “Yeah, suppose I did.”  
  
“You were with One the whole time?” Zayn nodded, “But you don’t want to ally with him?”  
  
Zayn shrugged, “I wouldn’t have a problem allying with him. It’s the other Careers that I don’t want to work with, or be anywhere near in the arena.”  
  
Teff eyed him for a few moments before changing the subject, “Alright you two, tonight is the interviews so we’ll be spending the whole day getting ready. You’ll spend several hours with Abelia learning proper interview conduct and with me so we can talk strategy before your stylists take over.” His eyes settled on Zayn once more, “You’re with me first.”  
  
They finished eating and Abelia ushered a slightly apprehensive Roo out of the room. Teff finished the rest of his coffee before leaning back in his chair and studying Zayn.  
  
“You’re the most interesting Tribute I have ever had to work with. You actually might make it out of that arena. But in order for that to happen you need sponsors and this interview can get their attention. So, Zayn, who are you?”  
  
Zayn frowned, “What do you mean?”  
  
“What about you would make me want to invest money in your survival?”  
  
“Don’t know,” Zayn said honestly.  
  
“There has to be something. Why is One so willing to spend time with you? What made him walk over and talk to you?”  
  
Zayn’s eyes narrowed as he thought. Niall had never really mentioned anything as to-.  
  
“That’s it!" Teff said and Zayn stared at him in confusion, “That look you just had. That intense stare with none of your thoughts evident on your face. You’re mysterious and brooding.”  
  
“No. I’m not.”  
  
“You are now,” Teff said, “The look works for you. Do you smirk?”  
  
“Not often.”  
  
“Can you?”

“Suppose so,” Zayn figured that after seeing the expression on Niall’s face all the time he could probably mirror it fairly accurately.  
  
“Great, this is the angle you have to play to all the way until the victor’s ceremony, hell, the Victory Tour,  when you leave the arena. Zayn Malik, broody, mysterious, district Ten’s resident bad boy. We’re going to do some practices questions now and answer with that mindset, okay?”  
  
Zayn considered Teff before shrugging and leaning back, assuming a bored expression, “I guess.”  
  
Teff grinned, “Perfect.”  
…  
“My heavens for goodness sake, Zayn. I’m only asking you to sit straight, just that one thing. It is your only job right now!”  
  
But that one thing went against the angle Zayn was supposed to be playing for the sponsors, so he didn’t sit up straight, no matter how much Abelia yelled at him.  
  
“Abelia, trust me on this one.”  
  
She scowled, “On your life so be it.”  
  
The words sent a spark of rage through Zayn’s body that was clearly reflected in his eyes because Abelia took a small step back, blushing ferociously.  
  
“It is on my own life, isn’t it?” Zayn muttered.  
  
Abelia looked to be searching for some way to regain her dignity but she couldn’t find a way fast enough. Zayn rolled his eyes and stood, “I think we’re done, don’t you?”  
  
He didn’t give her an opportunity to reply before leaving the room and moving to his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.  
  
Abelia personified one of the worst parts of the Games. The fact that for the Capitol citizens it was really just a game. They took it so lightly that every year twenty-three kids died in televised entertainment for the rich, the privileged. The people who would never understand what it felt like to have hunger painfully gnawing away  at their insides. Who didn’t care that the only reason their lives were so amazing was because they were built off the graves of the thousands of people who happened to be born into the hell that was so tastefully entitled a ‘district.’  
  
Zayn hated them all. This more than anything fueled his desire to win the games. He wasn’t going to let these monsters kill him for entertainment.  
  
Abelia was outside yelling at Teff about Zayn’s ‘barbaric manners’ and Zayn had never in his life been tempted to hit a woman before he had to deal with Abelia’s high pitched screeches. He left his room and walked to the elevator, ignoring the questions hurled his way as he hit the button for the lobby.   
  
He wasn’t the only one there but he didn’t mind as he sat next to the blonde boy who was reclining on a couch.  
  
“Your team doesn’t have to prep you for interviews?” Zayn asked.  
  
Niall blinked as if he was being yanked from a deep contemplation and gave Zayn a small smile in greeting, “We finished early. What about yours?”  
  
“My escort is upstairs no doubt wishing she had gotten a ‘civilized’ district. I walked out on her.”  
  
Niall laughed softly, “Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”  
  
“What were you thinking about?”  
  
“You,” Niall said without hesitation, “And the Games.”  
  
“Expand?”  
  
“My older brother won the Games and was never really the same after he did. Greg used to be so much fun and we were really close,” Niall explained, “He changed in the arena. I don’t remember much about his Games but that when the Careers broke up one of them hunted down the girl form Five and killed her very brutally. Greg didn’t sleep until he had killed that Career. I think it’s pretty obvious that he cared for the girl. It makes me wonder if I can actually deal with the Games.”  
  
Zayn frowned, “But you volunteered.”  
  
“I know,” Niall sighed, “But when I did I didn’t expect to meet you. What if we’re the last two in the arena, Zayn? Or if Perrie or Louis try to kill you while we’re still in an alliance. It makes wish I didn’t like you as much as I do.”  
  
Zayn didn’t reply right away, he simply took Niall’s hand in his, grateful for the conversation. Ever since Niall’s lips had touched his Zayn had worried that Niall might be faking his affection, simply using Zayn. Hearing the district One boy echo most of his concerns was oddly reassuring.  
  
“If Perrie or Louis come after me stay out of it. I’ll have to face them eventually I’ll suppose. As for us being the last two,” Zayn shrugged, “I don’t want to die, Niall, but the chances of me making it that is far is extremely slim, you know?”

“Yes. That’s what upsets me. No matter who wins, we both lose.”  
  
Zayn nodded, Niall was right, but there was something he wanted out of the whole thing, “Niall, promise me something.”  
  
“I don’t know if I can.”  
  
“Promise me that one of us will walk out the arena.”  
  
Niall frowned, “I can’t promise that.”  
  
“If I die I want to die with the knowledge that you get to live.”  
  
It was true and Zayn didn’t understand when he started liking the other boy so much or even how the lad had found a way to get him so enamored so quickly. Regardless, the thought of Niall dying was painful, too painful to focus on for more than a few seconds.  
  
Niall still hadn’t answered and Zayn squeezed his hand, meeting his eyes, “Please, Niall.”  
  
Niall nodded, lifting Zayn’s hand to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it, “I promise.”  
  
The elevator opened and Niall dropped Zayn’s hand as they turned to see who it was. Roo stood there, her eyes flicking back and forth between the two boys.  
  
“Earth to Roo,” Zayn said, and she blinked.  
  
“Teff says you need to come back because the stylists are here.”  
  
Zayn nodded and stood,” Okay.” He glanced back at Niall, “I’ll see you later.”  
  
He moved to stand next to Roo in the elevator, waiting until the doors closed before saying, “Please don’t tell Teff.”  
  
Roo shrugged, “I won’t. It’s your business, but you’re playing a dangerous game.”  
  
“We all are. Isn’t that the point?”  
…  
Four hours later Zayn and Roo were on their way to the interviews, outfitted in leather once more. When Zayn had complained Lou just shrugged.  
  
“Sad fact of the Games, well besides the fact that they’re horrific, is that most of the richest sponsors are single women,” Lou explained, “My job is to get you sponsors, regardless of if you like what you’re wearing.”  
  
When Roo and Zayn arrived backstage and more than one set of female eyes lingered on him, Zayn silently admitted that Lou was right.   
  
He was chatting with Harry when a particularly bold stare focused on his ass made Zayn turn around and catch the gaze of whoever was checking him out. Niall met his gaze with a raised eyebrow and Zayn blushed, turning back around before someone noticed their exchange.   
  
He looked back at Harry who glanced at Niall then back at him with a raised eyebrow, “Really?”  
  
“Shut up.” Zayn mumbled.  
  
Harry’s eyes were twinkling mischievously but thankfully Roo stopped by and told Zayn that they were getting ready to go out. The tributes lined up by district, the girl of each district in front of the boy. They were ushered out onto the stage to the roar of the Capitol crowd, sitting behind Ceasar Flickerman. Zayn stared at the man with interest, not only because of his brilliantly obnoxious neon green hair, but also because the man was one of the only people still involved with the Games after the attempted rebellion not too long ago.  
  
Zayn didn’t pay much attention to the initial interview, instead he stared at the sheer size of the crowd. All looking magnificently disfigured in their Capitol fashions as they stared avidly at Perrie and Ceasar, watching the girl like Zayn imagined a beast watched it’s prey. It was pretty unsettling.  
  
Perrie finished her interview and Niall moved to sit across from Ceasar, smiling as he easily joked around with the host and laughing at the punchlines. Zayn could tell that everyone in the room was hooked onto every word that left Niall’s mouth.  
  
“First things first, Niall. Everyone was shocked at the training score, any hints as to what you did to get that score?”  
  
Niall grinned, “I would tell you but there’s twenty-three people sitting behind me that would benefit greatly from that information. We’ll save it as a surprise for in the arena.”  
  
“Not even a tiny hint?”  
  
Niall tilted his head, considering Ceasar before seeming to relent, “Okay. What I did for my eleven, I am actually kind of skilled in it.”  
  
Ceasar laughed, a good natured sound that tugged a smile onto Zayn’s lips, “Very well, Niall. Now do you believe all twenty-three of them want you dead.”  
  
Niall made a show of glancing behind himself and eyeing each tribute individually before turning back around and shrugging, “Most of them. If they don’t want me dead they don’t want to win, now do they?”  
  
“Good point. Now, I’ve heard rumors that you’ve broken tradition this year and haven’t just been around the other Careers, is that true?”  
  
“Yes. I don’t see the point in not knowing the other competitors so I got to know some of them.”  
  
“Let’s talk about Zayn.”  
  
Zayn was actually very impressed that Niall didn’t react at all to the statement. The lad didn’t stiffen or change his posture in his seat or even let any flicker of recognition cross his face as he raised an eyebrow, “The district Ten boy? Sure.”  
  
Ceasar obviously wasn’t impressed as he had been clearly hoping for a reaction and he said, “Are you two friends? More than friends?”  
  
Niall laughed, “No. Having friends, or anything more, is dangerous here. I didn’t sign up to have an inter-district mingling experience. I came to win.”  
  
The buzzer went off, signifying the end of Niall’s interview and the audience applauded him as he moved back to his seat. Zayn didn’t allow himself to follow Niall’s trip back, aware that hundreds of eyes were probably focused on him. He remembered Teff’s words and leaned back in his chair and defiantly stared into a camera, not giving away any indicator of how he felt.  
  
The interviews moved at a reasonable pace and before Zayn knew it Roo was moving towards Ceasar, then away and it was his turn. He stood and walked forward to applause, shaking Ceasar’s hand before sitting in the seat, leaning on the arm of the chair as he tried his best to look bored.  
  
“Zayn Malik you have certainly made quite a splash this Games.” Ceasar said with a grin.  
  
Zayn smirked, “That’s what I intended to do.”  
  
“Tied for third highest training score, tell me what is your weapon of choice?”  
  
“Don’t have one,” Zayn replied, “I’ll just work with whatever comes my way. I could care less what weapon it is.”  
  
“Is there anyone sitting behind us that you plan allying with?”  
  
Zayn already had an alliance set for when he entered the arena and he was pleased this information hadn’t gotten out yet, “Yes.”  
  
“Mind telling us who it is?”  
  
He grinned, “Yes. I do mind. I’d prefer to keep it myself.”  
  
“Mysterious then, I like it.”  
  
Ceasar ran through his questions grinning after all of Zayn’s ambiguous responses, ending the interview with a laugh, “You are definitely one to watch, Zayn. Good luck to you.”  
  
Zayn shook his hand again, “Thanks.”  
  
He moved back to his seat and immediately searched the crowd for Teff. When he found his mentor he was relieved to see two thumbs up pointed his way, hopefully he had done enough to get sponsors.  
  
When the last tribute had been interviewed they were ushered off stage and Niall was gone before Zayn could even search for him. He didn’t say anything about it, mainly because he had no one to say it to. The group from Ten went back to their floor at the training center and watched the televised interviews.  
  
They listened carefully to the Career’s words for any hint of what they would expect once they were in the arena. They watched Harry’s interview silently as the unexpected ten scorer went through his interview in a cheeky manner that no doubt caught the attention of dozens of women. Abelia started to cry as Liam from Three admitted to liking Danielle for Eleven. However, after the interviews finished they didn’t discuss them at all.  
  
Teff simply sighed, “You two should go to bed, you have an early start tomorrow.”  
  
That was when it sunk in. The next morning was the opening day of the Games, they were going into the arena in the morning. Zayn and Roo nodded, heading of to their rooms in silence.   
  
Zayn got ready for bed, his mind whirling in a hundred different directions. The amount of thoughts racing around his skull made it impossible for him to go to sleep right away and what was frustrating was that only one thought was clear as he stared at his ceiling for well over an hour.  
  
He hadn’t gotten to talk to Niall again and the next time he would see him was going to be in the arena, at the blood bath. Zayn had done his best to avoid thinking about the first day of the games when on average at least ten tributes were killed in the first five minutes of the games.  
  
But the reality was setting in now, and Niall had scored an eleven. Zayn had seen Niall fight and he didn’t know whether or not Niall would be able to hold back his training that dictated he kill anyone in his path once the Games started.  
  
It was a very real possibility that Zayn would be dead within twenty-four hours, and that Niall would be the one to kill him.


	5. The Bloodbath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a friendly reminder that this is the Hunger Games so expect violence and death from this point on.

Zayn actually slept really well when he finally fell asleep. Granted, it took him awhile to actually decide that worrying about the Games was pointless compared to getting sleep, but when he did figure that out he fell into a restful, dreamless sleep. He woke of his own accord, rubbing his eyes and yawning as he glanced out of his window over the still dark streets of the Capitol, wondering if he would be able to watch the sunrise. That depended on what the tributes would be doing he supposed, and he couldn’t for the life of him remember what that was.  
  
A knock sounded on his door, “Are you up Zayn?”  
  
He frowned, that was Lou’s voice, why was she here?, “Yes.”  
  
“Let me in, we have to get going.”  
  
Zayn opened the door, “Where to?”  
  
The question earned him a puzzled look, “The arena.”  
  
Zayn’s stomach dropped as all pleasant thoughts fled his head, “Oh, yeah.”  
  
Lou gave him a white shirt and a simple pair of jeans to put on before leading him to the roof where a hovercraft was waiting for them, a ladder dangling down. When Zayn placed his hands on the ladder he was frozen in place as it rose from the roof. Zayn struggled against whatever force made it impossible to reopen his hands, at least, he attempted to struggle, but he couldn’t move.  
  
A woman walked over to where he was once he was inside the hovercraft and he felt a sharp stab of pain on his forearm as she slid a long needle in it. Zayn figured she was injecting a tracker under his skin. The knowledge reinforced Zayn’s realization that the games were literally around the corner and his death was a frighteningly real possibility.  
  
When the woman walked away he was able to move, rubbing the sore spot on his arm as the ladder was lowered for Lou. Once she was safely inside the two were led to a room where a generous breakfast had been laid out.  
  
Zayn sat and piled his plate, eating as much as he could hold even though eating was the last thing he felt like doing. Who knew when he would next have the opportunity to eat, or if this meal would simply be his last.  
  
Lou watched him silence, none of her thoughts clear on her face as they rode through the air, eye level to the clouds. Zayn was grateful for her silence, not quite sure how he would be able to speak at the moment. Zayn’s eyes fixed outside the hovercraft, idly wondering where they were flying to and what was inside the arena.  
  
He didn’t keep track of how long they flew through the air, but eventually the windows blacked out and he blinked in confusion.  
  
“We’re close,” Lou explained softly, “They don’t want you to see the arena until you go in it.”  
  
Zayn nodded, biting his lip to keep from blurting something childish about how scared he was.  The hovercraft landed not long afterwards and Zayn and Lou climbed down the ladder, ending in the underground tunnels that went around the arena, the catacombs as they were called.  
  
A young woman dressed all in white led them to Zayn’s Launch Room, leaving them inside without any indication of when the Games would officially begin. Zayn eyed the white room, it was nicely furnished with pictures of his journey thus far on the wall. Zayn vaguely recalled a lesson in school about how the arenas were preserved as historic landmarks that Capitol citizens often visited. The only arena not open for vacationing was from the 75th Games, not that Zayn cared to visit any of them. He briefly let his mind wonder what would happen in three months time, would the visitors be walking into this Launch Room because he had won, or because he was another name that would be written on the list of dead Tributes.  
  
Shaking his head clear of such thoughts he took a shower and brushed his teeth, watching Lou under half-closed eyelids as she gelled his hair up into a quiff.  
  
“Should last for a good week,” She murmured, “Let’s get you into your outfit.”  
  
Lou opened the package with the arena outfit that all the tributes would be wearing as Zayn watched with bated breath. The clothes would give him some sort of hint as to what he was going to be up against.   
  
They were black, skin tight pants made of lightweight material along with a light blue shirt. Over the shirt went a black jacket that clung to his body. Zayn inspected the clothes once they were on, noting the dozens of pockets they had before stepping into the black soft leather boots. The clothes would offer him no protection from a weapon, but they would allow him to run faster.  
  
“Water resistant,” Lou murmured, “And light, I wonder if they expect you to swim.”  
  
“I hope not,” Zayn whispered, “I can’t swim.”  
  
Lou didn’t answer, she simply straightened his jacket before stepping back, “You’re ready.”  
  
Zayn thought that her statement was up for debate but he simply nodded, settling into the couch as he stared at the food laid out before him. He didn’t take any of it, he was already struggling to keep his breakfast down, but he gulped water, hoping that hydration now would keep him alive longer in the arena. Granted, that was assuming he got out of the Cornucopia.  
  
Growing up Zayn had watched the Hunger Games on television during school, it was law that the Games were shown everyday. More than once he had stayed home, pretending to be sick, on the first day. The first day of the Games was brutal and on average half of the twenty-four Tributes were gone by day's end. This was mainly due to the Cornucopia, that’s what the very center of the arena was called, and at the beginning of the Games weapons were laid out around it as well as resources. The mad dash for those items resulted in the Bloodbath, and that’s what Zayn was facing up against.  
  
It wasn’t just a battle against one other Tribute, the Bloodbath was every man for himself, with twenty-three others who just saw him as an obstacle in their quest to leave the arena alive. Zayn was absentmindedly wringing his hands as he thought over what was to come and he didn’t realize until Lou placed one of her own over his intertwined ones.  
  
He met her gaze and she gave him a small smile, “Don’t worry too much, Zayn. You have what it takes, trust me. I’m not the only one rooting for you, I figure a third of the Capitol is on your side.”  
  
Zayn nodded, “Thanks, Lou.”  
  
That’s when a voice came to life over an intercom system, “Tributes, please prepare for launch.”  
  
Zayn could almost hear a smile in her voice and that more than anything made him sick as he stood and walked over to the metal plate at the end of the room. Lou stood aside, her hands clenched together as she watched him, unable to say anything that would help. Zayn took a few deep breaths, thinking over his goal.  
  
He had allied officially with Harry and Roo. His goal was to get a weapon, perhaps a bag if there were any, and rendezvous with the other two. That’s all he had to worry about. That, and not getting killed.  
  
A glass cylinder began lowering around Zayn and he looked up once more to meet Lou’s gaze, she smiled, “I’ll see you soon, Zayn. Try not to get too bloodied up.”  
  
Zayn smiled in return, “I’ll try my best.”  
  
Then the cylinder was in place, cutting out all noise except for the pounding of his heart. Zayn turned to face where he assumed the center of the Cornucopia would be, his head held high as the cylinder began to rise. It was a slow ascent where Zayn spent most of it staring into darkness, reminding himself to take deep, slow breaths.  
  
The metal plate then pushed Zayn out of the cylinder as he was dazed by bright sunlight. All around him he heard birds chirping and a steady trickle of a stream. He blinked rapidly to try and get his vision to focus.  
  
A familiar voice boomed into the arena, Claudis Templesmith, “Ladies and gentlemen, let the Ninety-sixth Hunger Games Begin!”  
  
The words brought the longest wait of Zayn’s life as the clock ticked down. Sixty seconds. If he tried to move off his plate before the sixty seconds were off and the gong sounded land mines would blow him to pieces. As he waited he took in his surroundings, the twenty-four Tributes were spaced equally from each other and the center of the Cornucopia. Although this year, there wasn’t the golden horn that gave the Cornucopia it’s name.  
  
It was a watch tower, several stories high and made of stone that you couldn’t climb. The door to it faced Zayn directly but he knew running to it would be dangerous. The Cornucopia was surrounded by one hundred meters of grass and directly behind each tribute was a small river low enough to run across. Behind the tower Zayn could see a dense forest and behind himself he could just barely make out other structures, perhaps a ruined city.  
  
He scanned the ground and saw weapons laid out in the grass, becoming more valuable the closer to the tower they were. There were also backpacks, small and medium sizes as well as small containers. He looked carefully for an ax, hoping that it wasn’t simply on the other side of the tower. Zayn’s eyes flicked back up to the top of the watch tower and he muttered a curse to himself. Settled in a display case right next to a large backpack was a hand ax. Was it worth it to attempt to get there?  
  
He glanced to his right and saw Roo, murmuring softly to herself. About six Tributes away stood Harry, his hands stuffed in pockets as he scanned the arena. Six Tributes the other direction was Niall, his blue eyes narrowed as he scanned the grass in front of him for any weapon he would prefer to grab for. His eyes flicked briefly to Zayn’s and held there. The seconds continued to tick by as the two boys stared at each other.  
  
“Ten...Nine...Eight...Seven...Six...”  
  
Niall’s eyes flicked back around the ring before settling on Zayn again and he mouthed the words, ‘Stay safe.’ To Zayn.  
  
Zayn nodded, replying with, ‘Good luck.’  
  
“Five...Four...Three...Two...One...” The gong sounded.  
  
Zayn’s feet move almost of their own volition as he ducked his head and ran quite literally for his life. He didn’t even bother to glance at the other Tributes as he silently hoped that he was fast enough to survive this. It was six seconds of pounding feet before a Tribute, probably a Career grabbed the first weapon and a scream tore through the air.  
  
The bloodcurdling noise spurred Zayn on and he ran faster as more screams filled the air and the clangs of metal on metal sounded. He reached the tower and yanked open the door, running up the stairs as quickly as possible and letting a hand close on the ax, yanking it off it’s stand. From his vantage point on the lookout tower he could see the entire Cornucopia, a sight he would have rather avoided. On the side of the tower opposite where he had been he saw the District Four boy and District Two girl, Ares and Dessa, fighting. Louis had his hand wrapped around a short sword as he chased down the District Twelve boy, ending his life. A hiss split the air and something flew past Zayn’s head. He whirled and saw Perrie flipping a throwing knife in her hand, sending it in the air at him.  
  
He ducked, kneeling so his head was out of target range. He caught sight of Roo running across the stream, carrying a small backpack and a pair of night vision googles. Harry had grabbed a double-sided sword and Niall was...where was Niall?  
  
The door slammed open and Zayn pivoted, raising his ax immediately. Blond hair appeared at the top of the stairs and blue eyes caught his for the second time in the span of two minutes. Niall’s shirt was ripped and there was a stain on his jacket that Zayn was positive didn’t belong to the district One boy.   
  
Niall’s hands were clenched around two daggers and he eyed Zayn warily. Zayn was aware that the Capitol was probably zooming in on the moment and he backed up slightly, hitting a second case holding a mace. The Gamemakers had set them up. They had wanted to see them meet instantly in the arena.  
  
It was several tense seconds before Niall spoke, “If you want to get out of this alive you need to run before the others kill off everything left downstairs.”  
  
Zayn didn’t lower his ax, even though Niall was right he didn’t know how much he could trust the other lad.  
  
Niall kneeled down slowly, dropping his knives, “Zayn, trust me, please. You need to run away, get as far as you can. Find some food and just make it through the night.”  
  
Zayn nodded, “I trust you, Niall. Good luck.”   
  
As Zayn moved past Niall the other lad’s hand brushed softly against one of Zayn’s pockets as he murmured, “Stay alive.”  
  
Zayn got to the bottom of the stairs and noticed there had been a second door, probably the one Niall had run into. He left that way, sprinting past the few battles still in progress. His feet hit the stream and he immediately slowed down, realizing that the water was higher than he had initially thought, it reached his knees and he waded across it.  
  
When he reached dry land Harry and Roo motioned to him from the dense trees and he ran to them. All three running as fast as they could, hoping to distance themselves from the hunting pack that the Careers would soon become.  
…  
They ran until they couldn’t run anymore and collapsed on the soil of what Harry said was a tropical rainforest. Roo tugged at her jacket as she heaved for air, “It’s so hot.”  
  
“Don’t take it off,” Harry said, “We’ll probably need it later. What’s in the bag you grabbed?”  
  
Roo took it off her back and opened it, inside was an empty water bottle and flint for making a fire. Roo added her goggles to it’s contents before closing the bag.   
  
“We need food,” Zayn muttered, “And we need to find water.”  
  
The three Tributes wearily stood back up and began trudging through the trees, whacking colossal leaves out of their way as they moved without any actual knowledge as to where they were going.  
  
Zayn knew almost nothing about Rainforests but he was positive that there would have to be more than one source of water in an area where rain was in its name. They moved for hours, weapons at the ready as they tried to squint through the thick growth under the forest canopy, watching out for predators of the human or animal kind as they softly murmured who they knew to be alive.  
  
“I saw Liam and Danielle run off together,” Roo offered, “Pretty much the moment the gong went off.  
  
“I saw a few fights but I don’t know who won any of them,” Harry added, “Why were you in the tower for so long?” The question was almost an afterthought.  
  
“Looking at the arena,” Zayn muttered as he pressed forward. All of Panem knew of his exchange with Niall at the tower, he didn’t see why Harry and Roo need to know as well.  
  
It was just starting to get dark when the trio stumbled upon a small pond and decided to set up camp near it. Roo stayed, setting up a fire as Harry and Zayn scouted the area for food. There were several berries around that they knew to be poisonous but had yet to find one that was edible.  
  
When Zayn finally found something to eat he brought it back to where Roo was, smiling as he offered the fruit to her before turning to find Harry who returned with the carcass of a small animal Zayn didn’t recognize.  
  
They sat around the smokeless campfire, settling into comfortable positions as the Capitol anthem blasted through the arena. Now they would know who hadn’t lived through the day. They watched the sky as the Capitol seal lit above their heads. The death toll would list the tributes who had died that day in order of their district, their faces and district illuminating the night.  
  
The first face to appear was the youngest Tribute the girl from Three, that meant that Perrie, Louis, Dessa, and most importantly to Zayn, Niall, were alive. Then came the boys from Four, Five and Six. The girl from Six. The boy from Eight, the pair from Nine, the boy from Eleven and the pair from Twelve.  
  
Twelve faces had lit the night sky. That was exactly half, twelve more Tributes were somewhere in the arena, doing the same mental math as Zayn was. The Games were half over, but that was no indication of how quickly the rest of them would proceed as everyone did their best to stay alive.  
  
The sky darkened and Zayn glanced over at his companions, Harry was eyeing the berries Zayn had picked curiously and Zayn briefly wondered if the other boy had paid any attention to the death toll.  
  
“Zayn, did you pick these?” Harry asked and Zayn nodded, “Did you eat them?”  
  
“No, I forgot about them, why?”  
  
“They’re poisonous,” Harry replied, calmly, chucking one away from him.  
  
Zayn’s eyes widened and he turned to his other side where Roo had been watching the night sky. Her own eyes stared up, her mouth hanging slightly open as she labored to breath.  
  
Zayn scrambled onto his knees, “Shit, Roo! Don’t die, not now.” He helped her to sit and hit her back in the hopes of getting her to cough up the berries, it was too late.  
  
A cannon sounded, signaling the death of a Tribute, and Roo stopped moving.  
  
Zayn let her lay back down on the forest floor, mentally cursing himself for being such an idiot as he angrily wiped away a tear. He shouldn’t be as upset as he was, he knew that both of them couldn’t win and now he didn’t have to worry about killing Roo at a later date.  
  
That’s because he had already killed her.  
  
In the back of his mind Abelia’s obnoxious voice squeaked in her Capitol accent, “May the odds be ever in your favor.”  
  
They weren’t.


	6. Day Two

Eleven faces had lit up the evening sky, eleven people she didn’t have to worry about anymore. She smiled and made conversation with her ally, raising her eyebrow slightly when a cannon shot rang through the night.  
  
Twelve. Already halfway done. Good.  
  
“Who do you think that was?”  
  
She shrugged, “Probably an idiot without any survival skills. You should get some rest, I’ll take the first watch.”  
  
“Okay, what’s the plan for tomorrow?”  
  
She grinned, “Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of time to talk in the morning.”  
  
Her companion nodded and lay down, “Good night.” Her eyes falling shut as she quickly went to sleep. How unbelievably trusting of her.  
  
The fool.  
  
Dessa pulled out one of her daggers, using it to clean under her nails, her eyes fixed on the task as her ears listened keenly for any sound that would be out of place, “Goodnight, Chenta.”  
  
Her ‘first watch’ changed to an all night watch as she sat there, idly toying with the blade as she thought through her plans and how to execute all of them. They all depended on this next move going right. As the sun began to peak over the horizon she stood, walking over to where her companion slept, kneeling there for a few seconds before letting her blade rest gently on the sleeping girl’s throat. Slowly applying more and more pressure in an attempt to wake her.  
  
She succeeded. Eyes flew open and a scream left Chenta’s lips as she realized, too late, her mistake. A cannon sounded.

Thirteen.  
  
Dessa cleaned her blade, sitting down on the forest ground to wait. If that didn’t draw the Careers out of hiding, she didn’t know what would.  
…  
Four sets of eyes focused in on the direction the scream had come from. After a night of no sleep on anyone’s part, seeing as how none of the Careers actually trusted each other, they had decided to travel north. The scream came from the rainforest south of them.  
  
“Whoever killed that girl is probably still there,” Louis said, voicing what they were all thinking, “We could take them out easily.”  
  
Niall frowned, “It could be a trap.”

The comment drew a disdainful snort from Perrie, “From who? Who in this arena could overpower the four of us?”  
  
“If Zayn and Curls and Louis’ district partner teamed up....” Scarlette suggested.”  
  
“As if they actually would,” Perrie said, “Come on, if we don’t go after them now they could be a nuisance.”  
  
Without another word the Careers turned as a unit, heading into the rainforest.  
…  
A shake on his shoulder woke Zayn from a surprisingly deep sleep and he blinked wearily until Harry’s shaggy mop of hair came into focus.  
  
“Harry? What’s up?”  
  
“There was another cannon, we need to move.”  
  
“The cannon blast has no indication of where the death happened.”  
  
“The scream right before the cannon was uncomfortably close, we should get moving.”  
  
Zayn nodded, getting up and helping Harry pack. They moved quickly, getting their supplies in the backpack, making sure weapons were out and at the ready.  
  
“Which way?” Zayn asked.  
  
“The scream came from that direction,” Harry pointed to his right, “Going the opposite way will probably make us run into whoever is out there killing. Let’s go further South.”  
  
“Sounds like a plan.” Zayn said, and the two began walking. As they walked they talked about their competitors and which ones they had heard would be making an alliance.  
  
“I overheard El telling our mentor that she was allying with Liam, Danielle and the girl from Eight.” Harry offered, his words drawing a frown to Zayn’s face.  
  
“Oh yeah, your district partner. How come you two were never together? You don’t like each other?”  
  
“She’s not bad,” Harry said slowly, which, considering how quickly he talked on average, drew the words out dramatically.  
  
“But..?”  
  
Harry gave him a sharp glance before saying, “The longer we interacted with everyone else the more we clashed on...on our opinions on someone.”  
  
“One of you hated the person, the other one of you liked them?” Zayn asked.  
  
“No.” The answer didn’t encourage further questions so Zayn simply nodded, respecting Harry’s privacy. After all, it didn’t matter how much he learned about Harry because by the end of the games, if either of them lived, only one of them would be alive.  
  
“And then the girls from Five and Two,” Zayn said, continuing his list on alliances, “And the Careers. So the question is, who died, and who killed them?”  
  
Harry bit his lip in thought his eyebrows furrowing as he considered Zayn’s question, “I don’t think any of the other alliances have met up because there would have been more deaths. I think there was either an accidental death, or perhaps a betrayal.”  
  
“The Careers already turning against each other?”  
  
Harry shook his head, “No. We definitely would’ve heard more cannon shots if that had happened...I don’t know. It might’ve been something about the arena. Either way, it’s better we got moving.”  
  
They walked in silence for a few seconds before Harry spoke again, “What will you do if we run into the others?”  
  
Zayn sighed, the question was the one he had been avoiding answering for himself, much less to someone else, “I don’t know. I don’t think I could kill anyone...not on purpose anyways.” The memory of Roo was still fresh on his mind, “What about you?”  
  
“I could do without the Careers.” Harry said simply.  
  
“All of them?”  
  
There was a slight hesitation before Harry replied, “They’re all Careers, right? The arena would be better off without them.”  
  
“Maybe, maybe not,” Zayn muttered, “They prevent us from having to kill the innocent people. Like that poor kid from Three.”  
  
More silence fell as they trudged continually through the rainforest, walking around colossal plants and watching out for any signs of movement before Harry asked a question that made Zayn wince, “What’s the deal with you and One?”  
  
“Perrie? She hates me.”  
  
“No, you know which of the two I’m talking about,” Harry said, “Niall.”  
  
Zayn shrugged, “Nothing.”  
  
“Bullshit,” Harry said without thought, eyeing Zayn curiously, “I saw you two up in the tower and he didn’t kill you. I didn’t know your stations visits made you two close enough for him to just let you go like that.”  
  
“I...” Zayn cut off his words at the sound of running feet, stepping back behind a tree. He wasn’t sure if he should be grateful that the approaching person had saved him from having to answer or to be concerned that they could simply kill him any moment.   
  
As the girl from Two skidded to a halt not far from him and Harry he decided that the latter option was proving to be the more logical of the two, holding his breath in the hopes that she didn’t see him. She was preoccupied for a few moments however, calling out at the top of her lungs, “The Careers look a little sloppy this year!”  
  
Shouts sounded nearby, calls of, ‘She went that way!’ and ‘Come on!’ In voices that Zayn recognized to belong to the Career Pack.  
  
The girl glanced at the two boy’s hiding spot, flashing an impish grin before running off in the opposite direction. Zayn had just come to the point that he was now officially terrified of dying in his current position when more footsteps thundered close by and the four Careers rushed into the space where the girl had previously been.  
  
“There’s no point,” Niall muttered, his hair pressed to his forehead from a combination of the heat and the sweet, his hands loosely gripping on a mace, “She’s toying with us.”  
  
“Which is why I want her dead,” Perrie retorted.  
  
Louis was ignoring the bickering pair, his eyes carefully scanning the trees. Zayn shifted on his feet, preparing to make a break for it if it was necessary. Blue eyes widened in surprise as they spotted another tribute, but Louis wasn’t looking at Zayn. His eyes were focused on Harry.  
  
“Harry, we have to run,” Zayn’s voice was quiet, trembling slightly as he tried to find a balance between loud enough for Harry to hear over Niall’s and Perrie’s current shouting match and soft enough that the Careers wouldn’t catch his words.   
  
Harry didn’t move.  
  
Zayn stared at the curly-haired lad, bewildered to see the color had drained from his face in a look of pure dread. Zayn glanced back at Louis, the Career’s face was blank of any emotion, completely unreadable as he matched Harry’s stare.  
  
“Do you see something, Louis?” Scarlette’s voice made Louis’ eyes snap away from Harry.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Do you see something?” Scarlette’s question had temporarily silenced the arguing district partners.  
  
“Uh...” Louis glanced back at Harry for a split second before looking back at Scarlette and decisively shaking his head, “No. I thought I did, but it was nothing. What did we decide on the girl?”  
  
All attention was shifted back to Niall and Perrie who resumed arguing. All attention that is except for Louis’ whose eyes had drifted back to look at Harry.  
  
Zayn was beginning to wonder if he’d ever be able to drag Harry away when a scream tore from Perrie’s lips. She clawed at her side and withdrew a throwing knife, dropping to her knees as she desperately attempted to stem the flow of blood coursing from her side.  
  
The other three Careers drew weapons, eyes casting around the area for their attacker. The girl from Two appeared out of the shadows, a dagger in each hand as she launched an attack.  
  
“Harry, come on!” Zayn yanked on Harry’s arm and they began to run.  
  
It wasn’t long until one...no, two, cannon shots rang through the air. The sound reverberating throughout the arena.  
  
Harry and Zayn stopped running once they were well out of range from the fight, sides heaving as they attempted to catch their breath, walking at a considerably slower pace than they had been moving that morning. Zayn’s heart was thundering in a way unproportional to the distance he had ran, in part because of the fear he had felt when facing the Careers for the first time in the arena, and in part because two people had just died. He tried to point out to himself that Niall was probably alive, that he wasn’t likely to have been the one who had died. But it was heard to reason the facts when his heart was racing.   
  
Niall could be dead. The girl could’ve killed him. Zayn didn’t know. He couldn’t -.  
  
“Zayn,” Harry’s voice broke through his thoughts and Zayn glanced at the curly-haired lad, “I...” His voice trailed off as he looked behind them, obviously not quite sure what to say.  
  
“Why did you freeze?” Zayn asked before shaking his head, “Never mind, I almost froze too. I really want to know why Louis didn’t rat us out, well, rat you out?”

“Don’t know,” Harry replied.  
  
“Bullshit,” Zayn echoed  Harry’s earlier words, “You looked like you had seen a ghost.”  
  
Harry shifted on his feet, before he said, “I’ll explain if you spill about Niall.”  
  
Zayn stopped walking to consider Harry’s offer. As curious as he was as to why Louis had spared Harry’s life, and as useful as that information could be at a later date, Zayn didn’t want to share about Niall. As much as Harry, or the Capitol, or the rest of Panem might have guessed, Niall was his secret. The one thing he had that the Gamemakers didn’t know about. He was certain that if he affirmed suspicious the Gamemakers would do everything in their power to force him to fight Niall. That was Zayn’s biggest fear about the Games.  
  
So, for now he shook his head, “Maybe later. We should find someplace to camp for the night.”  
  
Harry nodded, a flash of relief in his eyes as they resumed walking. They spent the rest of the day in silence, each caught up in his own thoughts, jumping at the slightest noise, both paranoid that the remaining three Careers from the earlier clash were still out seeking revenge.   
  
They decided to set up camp in a dense section of the forest, underneath trees they could easily climb in a hurry. They ate a bird Harry had found injured on the forest floor, neither wanting to know how the bird had become injured, as they waited for the day to end.  
  
When the sky was dark the Capitol seal flashed above them, Zayn held his breath as he watched to see the three Tributes that had died that day. The first face up was indeed a blond, but it was Perrie. Zayn raised an eyebrow as he considered what that meant for him, the one person who had possibly wanted to kill him was now gone. The second face was the girl from Four, Scarlette, meaning that Louis, Dessa and most importantly, Niall had survived the battle. The next face was the girl from Five, Roo’s face being the last one to illuminate the night sky.  
  
Four tributes dead. Bringing the total to fifteen. Nine were left. Zayn lay down without bothering to hope that he could be the one to survive. A lot could happen in the morning, a lot that he wasn’t prepared to face. He reached into his pocket out of habit, frowning when his fingers brushed across a circular object.   
  
He rolled over, pulling it out of his pocket in a way that he hoped hide the object from any cameras as he squinted at it. He couldn’t see it clearly in the dark but he knew what it was. A memory of Niall’s interview flashed to the surface of his mind.  
  
 _“It’s a good look charm.” Niall said, showing the object to the audience, “The commemorative coin that my brother received for winning the Games. I plan to go home with a nice little pair.”_  
  
Zayn recalled the brief second Niall had touched his jacket pocket, in the tower, passing the coin along so subtly that Zayn hadn’t even felt it at the time. He rolled the coin over in his fingers as he thought over what Niall could mean by giving him his good luck charm. Zayn had an idea about the implications of the object, but he hoped he was wrong.  
  
He fell asleep with the coin clamped in his hand.  
  



	7. Day Three

The fire crackled small and smokeless in the night, no one speaking as they considered the implications of the faces that had been shown across the sky. They knew that outside the arena, the citizens of Panem would have been watching recaps of each of the killings, but isolated in the far southwestern corner of the arena, camped next to a seemingly never-ending ocean, they had no clue as to what was happening in the rest of the arena. No knowledge as to who could’ve possibly killed the female Careers.  
  
It was a guessing game at this point, and that’s what concerned Liam the most. In his home district he had always enjoyed a good puzzle, but that was in a low risk environment where he had much more information. There were so many things he didn’t know that knowledge of could be the difference between life and death.  
  
Or rather, _her_ life or death.   
  
He gently squeezed the hand in his sending a small smile towards Danielle. He had already made up his mind that he would get Danielle back to District Eleven alive. But as more and more people died his chances of doing so seemed to get smaller instead of larger.  
  
Liam had watched a total of nine Games, start to finish, in his lifetime. He had a fairly good idea as to what was going to happen all too soon. He, Danielle and their two companions, Eleanor and her friend of similar name, Elanor, had put on a good show as they nearly died of thirst before coming across their current location, but that had been a day ago. The previous day they had done nothing but hunt and gather resources. They weren’t being entertaining, and the Gamemakers would change that.  
  
Liam glanced at the sky when he felt a drop of rain, sighing when he saw the rain clouds. Naturally it would be too much for the Gamemakers to allow them one more night of peace.  
  
He stood and led the group back to the very edge of the rainforest, settling at the base of a tree, Danielle resting in the crook of his arm. He took first watch, his eyes straining to see anything through the suddenly heavy downpour of rain.  
…  
In the morning it was still raining, the precipitation had fallen so heavily through the night that it had begun dripping through the thick forest canopy, making the ground wet. They ate the food they had gathered the previous day in silence, watching the rain.  
  
Eleanor uttered the first words of the day, “Wasn’t the shore line further away yesterday?”  
  
All four sets of eyes fixed on the shore line before the girls looked at Liam, he nodded, “It was, the rain is making the water level rise.”  
  
They watched the shore line inch closer with worry as the day progressed, not quite sure what the Gamemakers had in store for them. It was only when the wind picked up with an intensity that made the rain fly sideways that Liam understood.  
  
“It’s a tropical storm,” Liam said, standing, “We have to move.”  
  
“Where to?”  
  
Liam hesitated, considering the question. To avoid the flooding waters they’d want to move to higher ground. Yet, Liam had heard thunder, higher ground meant a higher chance of being targeted by lightning, and in the arena lightning would definitely be targeting the Tributes.  
  
“It would be ideal if we could find a cave, it would be on higher ground and there would be shelter,” Liam mused, trying to logically find where a cave would be most likely to be.  
  
“Let’s go north,” Eleanor said.  
  
Liam shook his head, “That’s where the Careers probably are. We should go east, parallel to the ocean.”  
  
“And drown?” Eleanor scowled.  
  
“El, we don’t have time to argue,” Danielle interjected, “We need to move.”  
  
A cannon shot rang through the arena and the four teens jumped in surprise.  
  
Eleanor recovered quickly, “You’re right, we don’t have time. We should be splitting up soon anyways, are you with me Elanor?”  
  
The District Eight girl nodded and the pair took off, headed north.  
  
Liam shook his head after them, “Fools.” He grabbed Danielle’s hand, leading her east. They ran through the forest as the rain and wind picked up in speed. Their steps were more equivalent to stumbles as the mud clung to their boots and the wind pushed at their backs. Liam squinted ahead, praying to whatever could possibly be listening to him that this wouldn’t be how they died. That there would be a cave.  
  
When the coast line was touching the edge of the forest Danielle pointed to a wall of rocks not even a fourth of the way covered with water. Liam nodded, he saw a cave in the side but they would have to hurry if they wanted to be able to reach it. The crevice in the rocks was out relatively far into the ocean and Liam wasn’t sure what sort of swimmer Danielle was but the longer they waited the harder it would be to fight the rising tide.  
  
They ran from the little cover the forest was giving them and let their feet splash into the water. He looked a question at Danielle when the water reached their waists. She glanced at their destination and took a deep breath before nodding back. Hands interlocked they dove into the water.  
  
The icy shock brought Liam up for air faster than he had been expecting, blinking water from his eyes as he tightened his grip on Danielle’s hand. He cleared his mind of anything but getting them to the cliff and began swimming, Danielle swimming next to him.  
  
The swim was anything but pleasant, waves crashing over their heads as they fought against the tide that seemed to increase in power with every millisecond. After what seemed like an eternity, Liam’s hand latched onto a piece of the rock wall and he pushed Danielle up above him, pulling himself up onto the small ledge after her.  
  
They stopped to catch their breath as they glanced at the water, the blackness of the never-ending ocean thundering ominously back at them. Liam’s eyes moved to look at the land they had left behind, noticing a fire starting in the general direction that Eleanor and Elanor had gone. He shook his head, he didn’t have time to worry about them.  
  
Liam turned to face the rocks and clung to them as he led Danielle higher up, edging along with as much caution as they could while the wind teasingly whipped around their bodies. When they both stumbled inside the cave they could do no more than lay one the cave floor, their chests heaving for air. Danielle sat up first, wringing her hair out as she shook water off her jacket.  
  
“Thank goodness they’re waterproof,” She said softly.  
  
Liam nodded, “Thank goodness.”  
…  
It had taken him all fucking night but he had finally caught up with her. It had been inevitable that after the deaths of Scarlette and Perrie that he and Niall would split up. Alone for the first time since the games had started Louis figured he’d take out his biggest threat first.   
  
Killing your district partner was normally not something anyone did, not until it was absolutely necessary, but as far as Louis was concerned, letting Dessa live was not an option.  
  
When he had found her she hadn’t run, she stood, a dagger held in each hand as she smiled softly, the rain making her hair fall limp around her face.  
  
“I had a feeling you’d come after me, Lou.” The petname rolled teasingly off of her tongue, a glint in her eyes as she saw the anger it caused him.  
  
“You should’ve run while you had the chance,” Louis replied, dropping his backpack on the forest floor as he walked forward, flexing his hands.  
  
“But where to?”  She asked, “I wasn’t planning to visit dear Harry until after I could give him your regards.”  
  
The words, thrown mockingly at Louis, were too much. He threw himself across the small clearing, hand balled into a fist as he aimed for her stomach. She stepped aside, laughing sadistically as a small slash appeared on Louis’ arm. Louis pivoted instantly, a foot lashing out and connecting squarely with her side. The resultant crack of bones drew a savage grin to his face.  
  
She stumbled backwards, all glee gone from her face, replaced with a look of pure murder as she tightened her grip on her blades.   
  
Their battle was more of a dance, attacking and dodging in turn. A fight that had happened more than once when they were younger, practicing to enter the Games. Now, however, it was fueled with an intense desire to end the other’s life, a desire that raised bruises on the Dessa’s skin, that had blood trickling down Louis’.  
  
They hadn’t hesitated when the rain picked up, making the ground underneath them slick as the wind threw off their movements. The change in weather gave Louis the advantage as the wind tossed Dessa to and fro as if she was a ragdoll. It was in a moment in her unsteadiness that Louis delivered the deciding blow, his hand connecting sharply with her neck, snapping it in one motion.  
  
She dropped to the ground, lifeless, as a cannon shot rang through the air. Louis picked up the blades from her limp hands, shouldering his bag as he tossed hers into the violent wind, hoping it would be decimated before some other Tribute got to it.   
  
He turned away from her and considered his options, a bolt of lightning striking the ground behind him made up his mind for him. He would head south.  
…  
“El! I can’t see anything!” Elanor’s voice was shrill as she tried to make herself heard over the storm.  
  
“I can’t hear you!” The reply was much more distant than Elanor could recall Eleanor being.  
  
Elanor spun around, eyes widening in horror when her companion was nowhere to be found, “El! El, where are y-!”   
  
The high pitched scream that sounded, cutting off her words, was too close for comfort, it was also too familiar to the District Eight girl. She turned sharply and ran in the opposite direction, blind to where she was going.  
…  
“Eleanor?”   
  
Eleanor was huddled at the base of a tree, staring up in fright at the undefined figure that had appeared when she had lost her traveling companion. The figure stepped closer and Eleanor blinked away tears, certain that she would be dead within the next ten seconds.  
  
The hand that reached down to her was bare of a weapon, however, and hauled her to her feet. Brown eyes stared into blue ones as she finally recognized Louis.  
  
“What are you doing?” He asked.  
  
“I don’t know,” She forced out from choked back sobs, “I was with Liam and Danielle and then they wanted to go next to the ocean so me and Elanor ran this way and I got lost...”   
  
She trailed off, tears blurring her vision so that she missed the mischievous glint that flashed through her savior’s eyes.  
  
“Eleanor,” His voice was soft, “Do you know where she went? I could help you find her.”  
  
Eleanor hesitated, “You want to kill her.”  
  
Louis shook his head earnestly, “No, I don’t, I recently broke up with my alliance and I still think it’s too early to be going through this alone. Three of us is better than one, don’t you think?”  
  
The girl eyed him in silence, still full of misgivings. Louis’ eyes stared at her widely, innocently, and she felt her reservations crumble under his gaze. She nodded slowly, “If you promise to not kill her, we can find her together.”  
  
Louis laughed, “Would I ever lie to you, Eleanor?”  
  
The words echoed through her head, bringing to mind the only other time he had said them to her,when they had been alone at one of the training stations. He had asked her to meet him in the lobby of the Tribute’s building that evening, promising that it wasn’t a trick. She hadn’t told him that she had arrived there ten minutes early and seen him pressed against her District Partner, she wanted to pretend like it hadn’t happened, but it had.

Now the question was, could she trust him again. Did she have a choice?

“El, I don’t want to rush you, but we don’t have much time before someone else finds her.”  
  
“Fine, let’s go.”  
  
“Here,” Louis handed her a dagger, “You might need it.”  
…  
The newly made alliance made their way precariously through the forest, Louis leading the way as he demonstrated a knowledge in tracking that made Eleanor as uneasy as it made her calm. She was positive that if all Louis had wanted to do was to kill her friend then he wouldn’t need her.  
  
She was completely immersed in her thoughts, so when Louis stopped and she rammed into his back she blushed, apologies fumbling from her lips.  
  
Louis just grinned at her, “It’s fine, you seem worried.”  
  
“I’m okay,” Eleanor lied.  
  
“Good, because I found her.” He pointed up ahead and Eleanor rushed to her friend.  
  
Elanor had collapsed on the ground, arms wrapped around her body in a vain attempt to keep herself warm, tears frozen to her cheeks. Her face saying she wanted nothing more than to leave this arena, for everything to stop. Eleanor threw her own arms around the girl, pulling her close as she murmured encouraging words to her, the watching Career pushed from her mind as she focused on trying to help Elanor.  
  
“It’s okay, we’re going to make it through this storm. Come on, you have to stand up now. We have to keep moving.” Eleanor’s continuous string of whispers succeed, coaxing Elanor from her position on the forest floor and getting her to stand.  
  
Elanor swayed uneasily on her feet, wiping her face with a dirty hand, “But, how did you find me?”  
  
Eleanor frowned and motioned behind her, “You don’t see him?”  
  
The District Eight girl shook her head slowly, vaguely concerned that Eleanor had gone crazy, “See who?”  
  
“Louis, from District Two, he helped me track you.” Eleanor said, turning to point at Louis. A strangled gasp left her throat when she saw that Louis wasn’t there anymore.  
  
A cut off scream made her pivot where she stood and her heart leapt to her throat when she saw Elanor struggling in Louis’ grasp.  
  
“Elanor!” She yelled, “Louis, you promised! You said you wouldn’t hurt her!”  
  
“Sorry, babe.” The response was cool, unforgiving, “But I need to win, you’re both in my way.” With a single, fluid movement, Louis hands flew to Elanor’s neck and twisted, snapping it with ease.  
  
Time slowed for Eleanor as she watched her friend slip from Louis’ grasp, her mouth open in a silent scream that shook through her delicate frame. Louis stepped over the body as the cannon shot fired, moving towards Eleanor with purpose.  
  
“Don’t take another step,” The voice that left her mouth surprised even Eleanor as she pointed the dagger Louis had given her at the District Two lad.  
  
Louis smirked, “Or what?”  
  
“I’ll kill you.”  
  
Louis laughed, “You really think you could kill me?”  
  
“Do you want to test it out?”  
  
The rain poured heavily around them as they sized each other up. A lightning bolt striking behind Louis didn’t even tear their gazes from each other, not until smoke wafted through the air and they turned to see the beginnings of a forest fire.  
  
Louis shrugged, “Tell you what, El, I’ll let you live for now. Who knows, maybe we’ll meet up again.”  
  
He took off, running nimbly away as the crackling of the fire got louder, the heat doing nothing to de-ice Eleanor from the numbness that had seized her body when she had seen her friend die. She was going to make Louis pay for this, she was sure of it.  
  
She tightened her grip on her blade and turned away from the fire as it slowly made its way towards her, determined to find her district partner and rip him away from Louis as he had ripped Elanor away from her.


	8. Day Four

Of the faces that had lit the night sky Harry had mixed feelings. It was safe to say that no one in the arena was necessarily surprised to see the District Eight girl’s face among the two dead, the District Two girl however, that was unexpected.  
  
Harry ran through the numbers, that meant that only two of the six Careers were alive, making up merely two of the seven remaining Tributes. Two more deaths and they were down to the top five. For the first time since he had been named Tribute Harry allowed himself to believe that he could win.  
  
He glanced at his companion, wondering how much longer they could safely travel together. With each cannon shot he could feel himself growing more wary of Zayn, and Zayn growing more wary of him. Yet there was the issue of Niall Horan. Harry still wasn’t quite sure why, but he knew that if he was with Zayn he would have a better chance of avoiding being attacked by the lethal Career, just as Zayn was safer from Louis by being with Harry.  
  
He sighed and twirled his sword in his hands, nodding to Zayn to indicate that he’d take first watch. He needed to think, he would be getting very little rest with all the thoughts tumbling through his head.  
  
For his part, Zayn’s mind was only able to focus on one thing. It had been a consistent issue since he had first run into Niall at the Cornucopia, yet for every cannon shot that sounded Zayn could feel his heart stop from worry at the prospect that it was the blonde lad’s whose death was being announced. His hands clenched around the coin that Niall had slipped into his pocket, hoping once more, that it wasn’t an indication of a promise he never would have asked Niall to make.  
...  
Niall had traveled through the night, stopping only to glance at the sky to see which two Tributes were no longer in his way, letting out a slightly annoyed sigh when he saw that Louis and Dessa hadn’t destroyed each other. The girl had had, in Niall’s mind, merely one task to complete and she had failed at it.   
  
As the first rays of sunlight flickered over the horizon Niall allowed himself a single moment to question his current course. When he had entered the arena Niall had been sure that he didn’t want to kill his current target, but he had no real choice. He paused to take a sip of water from the bottle in his backpack, blue eyes scanning the terrain spanned out below him.  
  
From his vantage point on a hill he could see the edge of the forest he had traveled in. To his right was a large expanse of ocean, underneath which he could faintly make out sand and a bit of grass, indicating that the storm had significantly raised the water level. To his left, across a plain, a denser, darker forest started one that probably held creations from the Gamemakers. Directly ahead was a rocky cliff and Niall spotted a small flicker halfway out that wouldn’t have been caused by the reflection of the water.   
  
If his instincts were correct, he was close to his goal. Calmly, he set off again.  
...  
About three hours behind Niall, Eleanor stumbled through the forest, collapsing to her knees from exhaustion when she reached the vantage point the blonde had long since left. A tear streamed down her cheek, and more would have followed if there was any liquid left for her to waste in her small frame. She had lost the only true friend she had in  this wretched place and she would be unable to avenge her.  
  
A soft thud to her left startled Eleanor and she threw herself to the ground in the opposite direction. When nothing attacked her she glanced over and her eyes widened, a mid-sized silver box attached to a parachute was in the grass. Had she actually received a sponsor gift?  
  
She rushed over to it and opened it with trembling hands. On top was a water bottle and she popped it open, guzzling the liquid greedily before remembering that she would need some later. Eleanor set the bottle aside and picked up the next item. It was a belt with two scabbards, inside the scabbards were two wickedly sharp daggers. A boot dagger and two leg sheaths followed, when she tested the edge of the blade it cut her finger easily and Eleanor grinned, perhaps she wasn’t hopeless after all. The bottom of the package held rope, something that could come into great use.  
  
It took a matter of seconds for the girl to strap on her new weapons, clipping the bottle to her belt and carrying the blade she had kept from Louis firmly in her hand. She stood and glanced over the terrain, holding back a shout of triumph when she saw a pair of tributes crossing a grassy plain. The shaggy mane of hair was distinctive on one of them, as was the sword he carried. Eleanor set off, following the two lads.  
...  
Louis hadn’t thought much about his next move, traveling lazily through the day as he considered the success of his previous night. Two kills in one night, he was quite proud of it. He chuckled to himself at the foolishness of Eleanor, what had made the girl stupid enough to trust him.  
  
He reached the edge of the forest, taking in the ocean before him. He glanced to his left and felt his heart skip a beat as a familiar head of curls disappeared into another forest. His eyes scanned the plain that Harry must have crossed and they were caught on a single girl moving across it with purpose, a blade clutched in her right hand as brown hair whipped around her face.  
  
Without a second thought Louis started for the plain. For the first time in his life he felt an icy clamp of fear grab him as he realized the magnitude of his actions the previous night.   
...  
“I’m starting to regret coming into this forest,” Zayn muttered to his companion, glancing  around nervously.  
  
There was something about the area that made the hair on his neck stand up. Something that made him  extremely uneasy. He felt like the only living thing for miles and like a million predatory eyes were watching him all at once.  
  
“Me too,” Harry murmured, “But we can’t turn back, I think someone’s following us.”  
  
They had come to the realization about half an hour previously, the knowledge forcing them to forge ahead no matter how much they didn’t want to.  
  
 _Zayn_.  
  
Zayn whipped his head around in the direction of the whisper, his mouth becoming dry as he felt his heart pounding against his chest.  
  
“Did you hear that?” Zayn said.  
  
“Hear what?” The question was answer enough and Zayn shook his head, telling himself he must be imagining things.  
  
 _Zayn. Over here. Come on._  
  
The whisper came from the other side and Zayn felt sweat glistening on his forehead in fear.  
  
“Someone keeps saying my name.” Zayn said.  
  
“I don’t hear anything.” Harry said. stopping in his movements.  
  
The two lads stood still, eyes searching as they listened. A twig snapped behind them and the whirled around. The density of the trees concealing whatever may have made the noise.   
  
The seconds seemed to stretch on for an hour as twigs snapped in several different directions. When the noise began to concentrate in front of them the two boys stumbled backwards. They were so focused on the noise in front of them that they didn’t notice the rope on the ground until it was hoisting them up by the ankles.

“You two walk extremely slow,” A female voice spoke from the shadows, “I passed you and was able to set up most of the trap before you showed up.”  
  
Harry frowned, “Eleanor?”  
  
The District Seven girl stepped out from the shadows, a dagger held loosely in each hand, “Hey, Harry.”  
  
“What are you doing?”  
  
She shrugged, walking forward, “Just ran into your dear Louis last night, thought I’d bring you best wishes before I kill you.”  
  
“You can’t fight.”  
  
“How would you know? We were trained privately.” Eleanor snapped, stepping to a tree and cutting a rope so Harry crashed to the ground.  
  
In his fall his sword dropped from his hand, “Pick it up, _Hazza_ , let’s finish this.”  
  
Harry’s eyes widened at the name, “Y...you heard?”  
  
“No, I saw. Everything. Come on. I have things to do when I’m finished with you.”  
  
Harry picked up the double edged sword, sizing up his district partner for a split second before he brought his sword violently across. Before he could complete the stroke there  was an instant of hesitation, during which Eleanor skipped out of range, darting in during a moment of Harry’s unbalance to slash a cut across his chest.  
  
“Fight me, Harry! I know you’re holding back.”  
  
Harry scowled, “I don’t want to kill you El.”  
  
The girl studied him before saying, “Idiot.”  
  
Zayn watched helplessly as Eleanor darted at Harry, knocking him onto the ground with such force that the sword slide from his hand. She straddled his chest, one dagger pressed to his throat as a warning as she brushed hair from his face with the other.  
  
“If you scream loud enough that Louis can hear you I might get over with this quickly.” She said, her voice cool.  
  
“El. Don’t let them change you into a monster,” Harry replied, “You’re better than this, I know you are.”  
  
She reversed her grip on one of the blades and slashed, a shallow cut appeared on Harry’s right cheek, “The only person who did this to me is Tomlinson. He deserves to get what he gives.”  
  
“Then why don’t you give it to me?” The new voice made Eleanor and Zayn turn their heads, Harry couldn’t move his with the blade at his throat, but he recognized the voice.  
  
“Why don’t you leave Harry out of it.” Louis said, forcing himself not to simply attack Eleanor, knowing that the sudden movement would end Harry’s life.  
  
“The same way you left Elanor out of it?” She replied, pressing the dagger harder, cutting into Harry’s flesh.  
  
“Your fight is with me. Leave Harry alone.”   
  
Eleanor considered Louis before shifting her position a bit lower, her free blade pressed  point first to Harry’s heart. She slowly added pressure, letting the blade sink in slightly before dragging it horizontally. Harry cried out in pain and Eleanor’s eyes dropped to his for a moment.  
  
That was all Louis needed. He launched himself across the clearing, knocking Eleanor off of Harry. She recovered remarkably quickly, rolling to her feet and running at Louis. A fight where Louis would normally have the upperhand was reversed as the Career had too many emotions messing with his fighting. He was scared for Harry’s well being, furious at Eleanor for attacking Harry and underneath it all he was racked with self-doubt. How  could he ever win the Games if Harry was so important to him? When had the curly-haired lad changed from being a tactic to being someone he cared for?  
  
Eleanor had none of these problems, her anger transferring to adrenaline that gave her the edge on Louis. Half-healed wounds from his fight with Dessa split open and Eleanor’s own blades created deep cuts on his body. Louis shook his head to clear it and grabbed Eleanor’s arm, twisting it so roughly he felt bones shatter in his grip. They were pressed together, Eleanor’s back to his chest as blood ran from Eleanor’s shattered limb.  
  
Eleanor glanced to her right where she saw Harry had gotten Zayn out of the trap and she knew she was over, but she wasn’t leaving alone. Harry turned and recognized what would happen before it did. Eleanor flipped the dagger in her good hand and shoved backwards, the blade thrusting into Louis’ gut.

Louis stumbled backwards in a daze, aware that he was as good as dead. With as much strength as he could muster he yanked the blade from his side and plunged it into Eleanor’s back. She fell face forward, a cannon shot signaling her death.  
 **  
**


	9. Day Five

The shot lingered in the air but no one paid any mind to the body limp, face first, on the forest floor. All eyes were on the wound in Louis’ side. Louis’ fingers pressed to the slit in his gut, his face calm as he accepted his fate. He dropped to his knees as the blood poured from his wound. Harry ran forward.  
  
“Louis!” He caught the Career as the lad slumped forward, almost collapsing to the  ground. Harry’s eyes were wide with horror, “Oh no...this isn’t happening...no!”  
  
“Harry, you need to leave me,” Louis’ voice was soft, a grimace of pain on his normally indifferent face.  
  
“I’’m not leaving you, Louis, not like this. You can pull through, I know you can.” The waver in Harry’s voice dovetailed the tear that leaked from over bright eyes.  
  
“I’m not going to make it through the night,  Haz.  I don’t want you to watch me go.” Louis said sternly.  
  
“Harry,” Zayn approached the two boys,  “It might be better for you to leave.”  
  
Harry didn’t turn to acknowledge Zayn, “Go away.”  
  
“Harry-.”  
  
“I said go away!” Harry’s head whipped sideways, taking in Zayn’s stance from his peripherals as Zayn glimpsed just an inkling of the pain etched on Harry’s features.  The shouted words echoed through the forest, the intensity of the emotion behind them ripping through Harry’s frame and making him shake slightly.  
  
Zayn bowed his head in acknowledgement of Harry’s need for privacy, “Good luck.”  He picked up his things and walked away.  
  
Harry waited for the footsteps to retreat before looking back at the lad in his arms. A trembling hand wiped brown fringe from Louis’ forehead.  
  
“I’m sorry, Harry,” Louis murmured.  
  
Harry shook his head, “No, don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. I should’ve killed her when I had the chance.”  
  
“No, I’m sorry. I need you to forgive me before I die.”  
  
“I forgive you, Lou.” Harry gave Louis the words, not sure what their significance was to  Louis.  
  
The lad smiled faintly, his face ashen below the ever-present tan, his eyes glassy, “Thank you.” He took a labored breath, “Harry?”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“I...I love you.”  
  
“I love you too.” Harry replied. He leaned down and captured Louis’ lips in his.    
  
There was a gentle pressure as Louis kissed him in return, but it only lasted a moment before his lips went slack. Harry pulled away, staring down at Louis’ lifeless face. He reached up to wipe a drop of rain from Louis’ cheek only to realize it was a tear  that had fallen from his own cheek. Harry leaned over Louis, his back shaking  with the sobs that raked through his body. A cannon shot sounded, increasing the intensity of his tears.  
...  
When Zayn heard  the  cannon fire he winced, his heart going out for Harry’s grief. He didn’t want to imagine how much pain Harry was going through and he gave himself a moment to curse the Capitol for placing them all in the wretched Games.  
  
 _Zayn. Zayn, over here._  
  
Zayn stopped walking at the noise, a shiver running down his spine.  
  
 _Where are you, Zayn?_  
  
It was now a group of voices, whispering so softly that Zayn wasn’t entirely sure they weren’t figments of his imagination.  
  
 _You’re not leaving, are you?_  
  
Zayn resumed walking, determined to get out of the forest. He rounded the corner and was stopped by the appearance of a wolf. The animal sat, docile, on its hind legs, head tilted to the side as it surveyed Zayn with eyes more akin to those of a human. The beast was twice the size of a normal animal and even before it spoke Zayn was aware that he was facing a mutation created by the Gamemakers to make his life a living hell.  
  
The wolf’s mouth opened and instead of a growl Zayn heard his mother’s voice float from it’s mouth, _“Leaving so soon?”_  
  
“Yes. I want to go,” Zayn replied, trying not to show his fear.  
  
“ _We don’t  want you to leave_ ,”  Three more wolves appeared, each with  a voice that belonged to one of Zayn’s sisters, “ _Stay with us_.”  
  
“No.”  
  
“ _Stay_!” The shout was accompanied with a feral growl as the animals leapt at him, claws out and ready to strike.  
  
Zayn got a firmer grip on his hand ax and swung at the mutations, trying to block out the high-pitched screams the wounded animals made.  
...  
For Harry, the mutations announced themselves through howls. Harry subconsciously clung onto Louis’ body tighter as he blinked tears away from his vision, scanning the surrounding area.  
  
 _Leave the body and we’ll let you go._  
  
The voice was soft, mocking, reminiscent of the Peacekeepers who had patrolled Harry’s home in District Seven. The voice taunted him and he reached out blindly, his hand gripping the handle of his sword, “And let you mutilate him? I don’t think so.”  
  
 _We’ll take it from you. Whether you live or die is of  no consequence to us._  
  
“I’d say the same about you,” Harry answered, turning slowly to face a wolf nearly half  his height. He stood, placing himself resolutely between Louis and the mutation.  
  
 _On your life, so be it._  
  
The wolf snarled, throwing itself at Harry. Harry held his ground, swinging his sword around viciously as a cacophony of howls began.  
...  
Zayn was stumbling out of the forest when a second cannon shot sounded and he felt his heart drop. There were only five Tributes left whose death could have been announced by the cannon. Each possible death Zayn was less than eager about. He collapsed in the grassy plain, examining his leg where a wolf had gotten a decent sized bite on his thigh. The wound was bleeding freely, but at least he was alive.  
  
Zayn applied pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding as he thought. Somehow, he had made his way into the final four. There was a distinct  possibility that he could become the victor. For the first time since he had entered the Capitol Zayn allowed himself to picture  his family, to envision how overjoyed they would be if he returned.  The thoughts calmed him down and he felt himself grow sleepy. As his head fell back Zayn recognized the pattern of the leaves on the plant. He was in a patch of Dreambright, a plant  manufactured by the Capitol to put people to sleep. It was used for medical patients and criminals. Patients were allowed a restful sleep while criminals were plagued with nightmares.  
  
By the time that had registered Zayn was too close to sleep to escape. He closed his eyes and dreamed.  
...  
 _Caeser Flickerman stood on a stage, “I now present to you, the victor of the 96th Annual Hunger Games...Zayn Malik!”_  
  
 _Dressed in clothes of gold thread Zayn realized he was on a stage in front of an audience seemingly holding the entire Capitol city of Panem and he gave a small smile as he was crowned victor. Across the stage was a throne-like chair for him and Zayn went to take a step towards it, only he couldn’t move. He tried again, no response._  
  
 _Lou was behind him and she placed a gentle hand on his back, “It’ll take some practice. Here, you have to remember to turn them on and off.” Her hand traveled to his wrist and pressed a button on a bracelet on his wrist._  
  
 _Zayn felt a spark of warmth and he could move. He glanced down and paled when he realized his legs were gone, replaced with robotic limbs right below his knees._  
  
 _When he reached the chair he sat, eyes on the mammoth  screen straight ahead. The highlights of the Games began to play. It flew by in a blur, the only point he watched closely was the final battle between himself and..._  
  
 _“Niall,” The name slipped out of his mouth before he could stop himself. he didn’t remember how he had become victor so the battle held special interest to him._  
  
 _Niall had lowered his weapon, not wanting to attack Zayn. Zayn did the same, stepping closer to the District One boy. Niall reached out to Zayn and the victor on his throne felt the urge to give the blonde a warning as he recognized the slight tightening on the hand ax in the palm of the Zayn on screen._  
  
 _Zayn watched, horrified as past him swung the ax around to bite deep into Niall’s side. Aware that he was as good as dead, and that Zayn had betrayed him, Niall swung  his mace twice, shattering the bones in Zayn’s legs evidently beyond repair._  
  
 _The screen blacked out to thunderous applause as Zayn fought the urge to be violently sick. The victors of the past decade walked before him, introducing themselves with a handshake. One looked familiar as he gripped his tightly._  
  
 _The name ‘Greg Horan’ pushed through his hazy mind just a split second before a sharp pain made him gasp, his hand flying to the dagger in his side as everything went black._  
...  
Zayn’s eyes fluttered open and he took a labored breath, letting his body calm down from the dream. His forehead was covered with sweat, less because of his dream and more because of what it implied. The gamemakers controlled what he had seen, that told him that they knew how much Niall meant to him. They would use that against him, the question was simply a matter of how soon.  
  
He glanced to his right in time to see a hovercraft appear over the forest he had just left, the bottom opening as a beam lifted Louis’ body into it’s hull. Behind Louis’ body was a mutilated figure, clothing in shreds, everything beyond the point of recognition save for the brown curls that fell around the face.  
  
“Harry,” Zayn murmured as his heart sank.   
  
The hovercraft vanished but Zayn’s eyes didn’t leave that space as he tried to force tears away from his eyes. He only shifted his gaze when a small package tied to a parachute fell in front of him.  
  
Without thinking he reached out and opened the package  inside was a bandage and a disinfectant as well as night-vision goggles. The goggles were expensive, an indication that Zayn had attracted the attention of a wealthy sponsor.  
  
He quickly treated and wrapped his wound, hauling himself to his feet as he surveyed his surroundings. After a few seconds thought Zayn decided that whatever final battle he would have he wanted to do it without trees.  He would head North, to the Cornucopia and whatever lay beyond it.  
  
With the goggles he traveled on through sundown, not stopping to watch Eleanor’s, Louis’, and more specifically, Harry’s face flash across the sky. his fist clenched tightly as the Panem National Anthem played through the arena.  
  
He was alive, Niall was alive...the other two Tributes he couldn’t quite remember. He supposed he would learn soon enough.  
...  
Niall camped on the beach, his eyes fixed across his small fire at the rock wall ahead of him. He had two more kills to go and then...well, he wasn’t sure.  
  
The day’s deaths made him uneasy. They meant that if he succeeded with his plan, Zayn would be the only other Tribute left.  
  
Instinctively he reached into his pocket for his District token, the commemorative coin from his brother’s victory, frowning when he remembered that he had given it to Zayn during the first day of the Games.  
  
Niall sighed and shook his head to clear it. One step at a time, that’s all he could do now.  
...  
Liam walked back to where Danielle sat by the campfire.  
  
“Well?” She asked as he sat next to her.  
  
“District Two boy, Louis, and both District Sevens, Harry and Eleanor,” Liam said softly.  
  
Danielle rubbed her arms as if suddenly cold, “Poor El, and I wonder what happened to Harry. I liked him.”  
  
“Yeah, but now we’re final four,” Liam said, wrapping an arm around the girl’s shoulders.”  
  
“Something’s wrong, isn’t it?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Yes, there is. Liam, tell me what’s wrong.” Danielle’s eye searched his for some clue.  
  
Liam sighed, “There’s someone on the beach, there’s a fire and I can’t see around it that well, but the person is watching our cliff.”  
  
“They’re coming after us,” Danielle murmured, it wasn’t a question.  
  
“Yes, probably.”  
  
“It’s Niall, don’t you think?”  
  
“Why Niall?” Liam asked.  
  
“Zayn wouldn’t do it, he has too much heart.”  
  
“You said Niall had heart, right after we met him.”  
  
She nodded, “He does, but his heart is focused on one thing, and we’re in the way of that. What are we going to do?”  
  
Liam’s grip tightened protectively, “Whatever we can. rest for now, he won’t come after us until morning.”  
  
Danielle nodded, getting ready to sleep as Liam moved to the mouth of the cave, his eyes fixed on the flickering flames in the distance. He had wanted to avoid killing anyone, but Danielle’s life came first. Whoever sat on the beach would have a battle on their hands if they wanted to get to her.  
  
“I’m ready for you,” Liam said, “Come morning, we finish this.”  
  
He had no way of knowing that his words were being echoed by the two other lads in the arena.


	10. Day Six

Zayn put one foot in front of another, continuing his journey past the point of exhaustion to where sheer determination was the only thing that kept him going. He wanted to reach the Cornucopia before sunrise, why that was his desire he wasn’t quite sure. Of the three other Tributes left, Niall, Liam and Danielle, he was sure none would be the type to hunt him down. If they did that meant something in the blasted arena had changed them and Zayn would prefer to pick where they would have their confrontation. If his assumption was correct in that none of the others would come after him that meant the Gamemakers would force them together, in that instance already being in an open area would nearly guarantee that the others would be pushed towards him and not the other way around. Once they got to him, Zayn had no idea what he would do and he didn’t let his mind dwell on it.

For now, he just put one foot in front of the other. His steps got increasingly more forceful, each one more of a stomp than a step. it was almost therapeutic for him as he imagined the Peacekeepers, the Gamemakers, the Capitol being squashed under his heel. his worries and concerns about his final confrontation being crushed into the forest floor.

It even helped soothe his fear of dying.

He had long since accepted the probability that he would come to a violent death in the arena, his family being forced to watch the event on television. He had come to terms with his dead, the fear was a pleasure for him to press out of his life.

Zayn continued on that way for hours until the tips of the horizon began to turn pink. He stumbled out of the dense forest, splashing into a stream. The icy water shook him from his reverie and he glanced around, blinking at the odd colors around him until he remembered to take off his night-vision goggles.

With the green lens off of his eyes the area swam into better clarity and Zayn’s gaze locked on the grey watchtower stretching to the sky. A soft sigh of relief fluttered from parted lips and Zayn began trudging across the stream, headed towards his final destination.

...

Niall had only fallen asleep for four hours, giving his body just enough time to refresh without waiting time that could ruin his plans. When he woke it was to the first strains of  sunlight. Yawning, he stood and stretched, loosening his limbs for what would be a long day. Niall could only imagine the anticipation running through the Capitol as he prepared himself physically and mentally for what was to come. bets were probably being frantically made on specifics that Niall was content with knowing nothing about.

His eyes moved to the rock cliff he had spent nearly half a dozen hours gazing at. He knew where the cave holding the two lovebirds was but he was searching for something else. When his eyes lit on it he smiled grimly, dropping his belongings on the beach and walking towards the water with only his mace clenched tight in his hand and a dagger stored in an inside pocket of his jacket. He waded into the ocean until the water was halfway up his chest. The coldness was bone numbing but he pushed the thought aside. Taking a deep breath Niall cleared his mind and pushed off his feet, plunging into the dark body of water.

The sudden temperature drop was so intense that Niall had to immediately come up for air. Fighting his natural instinct to stop and gulp oxygen or turn back, he pressed on. Niall swam as quickly as he could, doing so to keep his muscles limber as much as to get out of the water as soon as possible.

When his hand made contact with rock he couldn’t haul himself out of the water fast enough. He didn’t allow himself to simply lay and rest, instead he checked his surroundings, trying  to gather his bearings as the sun climbed up the horizon. Once he located where he was he carefully moved around the rocks, headed not towards the cave he had picked out the previous night but to a different one altogether.

When he walked inside the small opening he collapsed to the ground, wringing out his clothes and taking steadying breaths. His job was far from being over.

...

Liam woke with a start, sitting bolt upright and searching desperately for Danielle. She covered his hand with hers reassuringly.

“I’m right here, babe. What’s wrong?”

Liam blinked at the sunlight streaming into their sanctuary, “You let me oversleep. I thought something happened to you.”

“You need rest, Liam. You were up nearly all night. I would have woken you if someone was coming.”

Liam stood and moved to the mouth of the cave, his eyes zeroing in on the beach. The wood of a used fire setup was still sitting there but with no trace of Niall. He scanned the area and with a sinking heart he saw footsteps moving towards the ocean.

He cast his gaze around the body of water with no sign of tell-tale blonde hair. That meant Niall was doing one of three things, faking them out, drowning in the ocean or waiting on the rock cliff. Liam was willing to bet more money than he had ever seen in his life that Niall was doing the third of the three.

“Come on,” He muttered, leading Danielle deeper into the cave.

The previous night had been spent exploring the area by firelight, hoping that there may be some back exit. he hadn’t found one but he had found a hiding place that would be able to conceal one person.

Liam pointed it out to Danielle, “Climb up there and don’t make any sounds. No matter what happens to me you have to stay hidden. don’t let him lure you out, one of us should live through this. Promise me you’ll stay hidden.”

Danielle nodded hesitantly but added, “You can beat him, Liam.”

Liam gave her a small smile, “Maybe, after all he’ll be tired from swimming to the cliff.” He gave her the words she needed to hear rather than the ones he knew to be true.

Danielle pressed a kiss to his cheek, “You have to promise me that you won’t get too battered up, okay?”

“Of course.”

He helped Danielle climb into the rock crevice before moving back to the center of the cave, picking up his sword before settling down to wait.

...

It took an hour for Niall’s clothes to dry and another hour before he decided he was prepared. He stood and walked out of his resting place, stretching before he set off. He picked his way around rocks and steep drop offs, mentally picturing the irony that would be him dying from a misplaced footstep.

He reached his destination, tightening his grip on the weapon in his hand before stepping into the cave. It was spacious and light shone inform various holes in the ceiling. A fire pit was situated in the middle and to his left was a bundle of jackets and backpacks, doubtless serving as a makeshift bed.

To his right a figure stood and stepped into the light, sword flashing. Niall raised his eyebrow, “You’re going to fight me, Liam? Didn’t think that was your style.”

Liam shrugged, “I’m in the same position as you, aren’t I?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’d do anything in my power to get her home. Isn’t that what you’re doing for him?”

Niall didn’t answer, instead he looked about, “Where is lady Eleven?”

“Where’s Zayn?” Liam retorted, “Have you stopped to think about the fact that if you leave here with Danielle and me dead then you will be in the final two with him?”

Niall scowled, “I’m no fool, I’ve thought everything through.”

Liam hefted his sword, his feet sliding into a fighting stance, “Very well then, let’s get this over with.”

His face was determined, his eyes sending Niall a clear message. If Niall wanted to touch Danielle he’d have to kill Liam first, and Liam wasn’t going down without giving the fight of his life. Niall had expected as much but seeing his expectations manifest themselves into reality was something we would have rather not have experienced. Trained as a cold-blooded killer he shouldn’t be struggling with as much doubt and guilt as he was at that moment. Regardless, this was what he had set out to do. Niall raised his mace and swung, gritting his teeth when the movement was brought to a halt on the hilt of Liam’s sword.

The two Tributes exchanged blow for blow, maneuvering as much as they could in the tight space. The clangs of steel hitting steel echoed in the cave, making Danielle’s ears ring. She watched from her hiding space, heart in throat, as she silently cheered Liam on. The times when the battle shifted from her line of vision she tried to quiet the pounding of her heartbeat so she could perhaps hear what was happening.

The fight was short-lived, the initial struggle Liam put up gave way as Niall proved his superior stamina, bringing his mace around in a bone-shattering blow. Liam cried out in pain, the sword dropping from his hand as he staggered backwards, clutching his broken arm with his good one.

“Where is she?” Niall muttered, ramming Liam against the cave wall, acutely aware of the sound of fracturing ribs.

Liam glared up at Niall, “Gone,” he hissed, “Left long before you came. I was just giving her time to get to shore.”

Niall scowled and let Liam go, picking up the lad’s sword and moving to the mouth of the cave, scanning the shoreline. Behind him, Danielle lay with a fist in her mouth, blinking overly bright eyes as she stared at Liam. He didn’t look her way, trying to avoid blowing her cover.

Niall moved back to where Liam had slid to the ground, kneeling next to him, “Liar. There’s no footprints on the beach. Where is she?” Liam didn’t answer and Niall struck him across the face, “Where is she?”

“Not telling, might as kill me now. You’re wasting your time.”

Brown eyes defiantly locked onto blue and Niall let out a quiet huff of exasperation. he racked his brain before coming to the solution he had hoped to avoid.

“Fine, I’ll kill you,” He said, “But not quickly.” Niall pulled out the small dagger from an inside pocket, lifting his voice so it could be clearly heard in all corners of the cave, “I may let you out of your suffering if your girlfriend magically pops up.”

“She won’t, she-,” Liam’s words were cut off by his own shout of pain as Niall brought the hill of his dagger crashing into Liam’s jaw.

“If you’re talking the only thing I want to hear is where the girl is hiding,” Niall said, twisting the dagger in his grip and yanking on Liam’s arm, “Otherwise I’ll allow any noises of pain.”

Danielle squeezed her eyes shut as Niall brought the blade to Liam’s skin. No matter how hard she pressed her hands to her ears she could still hear Liam thrashing in pain and the yells he tried to dampen. She had promised to stay hidden no matter what, and yet, how could she lay here with the power to stop Liam’s pain and do nothing? She’d rather die here with him then continue on her way with such a memory engraved into her mind.

Making her decision Danielle sat up and slid from her hiding space, eyes fixed on the floor as she walked forward. The tension eased from her shoulders as the dreadful noises came to a stop.

Niall turned at the sound of footsteps and stood when he saw Danielle walking towards him. He sighed in relief, his face never revealing how much he hated himself for putting the two through this. Ultimately however, none of what was happening was for his benefit and that softened the edge of his acts for him just a bit.

When Danielle was within arm’s reach she stopped moving and met his eyes, hers brimming with tears.

“Niall,” She said, the quiver in her voice striking straight at the lad’s heart.

“Danielle,” He replied, stepping forward so their bodies were nearly touching. His next words were so soft that Danielle was the only person to ever hear them, “I”m sorry.”

She nodded, her eyes flicking away from his, “I know.”

A gasp ripped from her throat as Niall thrust the dagger blade into her gut. Just as rapidly as he had pushed it in, he yanked it out and caught Danielle as she fell, setting her down softly next to Liam. Liam reached out with a feeble arm and clasped Danielle’s hand.

“You promised,” He mumbled around a bruised jaw.

She smiled softly, “Some promises are meant to be broken. I love you, Liam.”

“Love you too,” Liam replied, pulling the back of her hand to his lips.

Niall watched in silence, the hand holding the dagger trembling slightly. When Liam met his eyes again they were devoid of any emotion and the District Three lad simply nodded. Niall leaned down and slit LIam’s throat as Danielle took her last, labored breath.

The cannon shots were closely spaced, one after another, the sound reverberating in Niall’s skull as he turned away from the fallen pair. He let the dagger clang to the ground and he picked his mace back up, moving to the mouth of the cave.

He cleared his head of the maelstrom of emotions inside and picked his way back along the rocks, diving into the ocean.

...

The cannon shots woke Zayn from his nap. WIthout the faces being projected onto the sky Zayn knew who the shots belonged to and suddenly his nightmare was a reality. The end of the Games would be him versus Niall.

He stood from his spot at the top of the watchtower, glancing around and wondering how long it would be before he had to face Niall. His eyes were drawn South, the direction he had traveled from. A roar of noise sounded from the area that sent a shiver down his spine.

He squinted and could barely make out a black cloud gathering over the edge of the forest. There was no doubt in his mind that the area was where Niall was located and Zayn frowned in concern for the lad.

“Run fast, NIall.”

...

Niall climbed out of the ocean and trudged towards his undisturbed camp set up and belongings, quickly starting a fire. The flames flickered, tossing warmth onto his skin but he was sure nothing could warm the chill in his chest that had grabbed him when he had murdered Liam and Danielle.

Truly exhausted, mentally and emotionally, for the first time in his life he let his head drop, covered by his hands. The Games were supposed to be easy, at least for him. He was a protegee, trained since childhood, following in the steps of his older brother, a killer crafted by design. He was supposed to be able to kill someone as easily as look at at them, to string along another person without becoming emotionally attached to them. Being racked with guilt over a kill, having his heart wrench with fear at every cannon shot for a boy he barely knew, that wasn’t supposed to happen. Not to him.

He blinked rapidly to ward off the tears threatening to pour down his cheeks. He was still on camera and no matter how he felt he wouldn’t lose face to Panem.

A bird call sounded, rough and jarring on his ears and he glanced up. A lone bird flew above the ocean, coming in his direction. It was black with a predator’s build, no doubt a Capitol mutation. It was seemingly fleeing a massive storm cloud. Sighing Niall put out his fire and packed, moving to the forest to escape the storm.

The bird call sounded again, magnified significantly, and Niall turned. The color drained from his face when he saw the cloud was really hundreds of birds, all coming towards him. He stumbled backwards a few steps before turning and running for his life.

The finale of the 96th Annual Hunger Games had begun.

 


	11. Dreams

“Ladies and Gentlemen this has been a very interesting week. The intensity of the 96th Annual Hunger Games has been perhaps unparalleled since the moment the gong sounded. From the Bloodbath to the accidental death of Roo Quinoa at the hands of her district partner to the battle between District Two’s Louis Tomlinson and Dessa Kaeso. The Games are unique for the relationships forged, such as the doomed lovers Payne and Peazer and even the unusual attachment between Career Louis Tomlinson and surprise favorite Harry Styles. For the final showdown of the Games we will see early favorite Niall Horan of District One, brother of past victor Greg Horan, matched up against District Ten’s Zayn Malik. The two couldn’t be more different, Niall coming from a privileged background while Zayn grew up in a struggling household in an outlying district. One a volunteer facing one who had never wanted to enter the Games."

“Mum! Zayn’s on the T.V.!”

There was a weary sigh, “He’s been on the T.V. for over a week, love.”

“He’s on the funny man’s show. They’re talking about him.”

“Claudis Templesmith? Turn it up.”

The small television’s volume was turned up as Claudis Templesmith continued talking, “The dynamic between our two finalists is intriguing. I take you back to the Bloodbath when they met at the Cornucopia and did not attack each other. This leads me to believe that not all the romances in the Games have died out. What will happen when the two are forced to battle? Any guess is as good as the other. We take you now to  the live feed of the arena where Niall Horan is getting chased, perhaps, for the first time in his life.”                 

...

Niall was only aware that it was daytime because he knew he had been running for about an hour but no more than two. Besides that fact he would have sworn it to be night. The dense canopy of the rainforest made the forest floor dark on its own and the cloud of hybrid birds in the air above him blotched out all remaining traces of the sun. He had even needed to stop once to put on his night vision goggles before picking up pace.

Branches and fallen trees, reminders of the manufactured fire, loomed in his way, causing him to stumble. Niall was relatively safe in the forest, the trees protecting him for the birds. Once or twice he had ran through a clearing and the sudden cacophony of screeches spurred him on faster, the handful of scratches from beaks and talons bleeding freely.

He couldn’t suppress the look of resentment on his face, aware that the eagerly watching audience would wonder why he didn’t look scared. He was terrified, but his anger for the Gamemakers overwhelmed his fears. He had watched all ninety-three released versions of the Games, some more than once, and he knew this was a strategy  to get him to where Zayn was. What angered Niall was the fact that never before had the push been so life threatening. Niall knew that one misstep and he would be bird  food and if it wasn’t for his intensive training he would have already collapsed from exhaustion. The Gamemakers were trying to break him so he would have no reservations in attacking Zayn, but aware that the birds would go away when he was near Zayn, Niall pressed on.

He ran blindly, just wishing he could stop soon. The pounding of his feet on the forest floor striking pain through his body from the thin boot soles. He saw light coming ahead and cursed under his breath, another clearing. He ducked his head and surged forward. The noise was deafening and the searing pain of avian claws tearing his skin was crippling but he didn’t stop, running straight into the next clump of trees.

...

The bird calls made it impossible to sleep. Instead, Zayn leaned against the wall of the tower, eyes narrowed at the cloud of birds flying towards him. The speed with which they approached was impressive. He figured the birds were above Niall’s position,  their swooping down over patches of clear space making Zayn’s heart leap to his throat as their purpose was obvious.

If this had been any of the other Tributes running for their life Zayn might have hoped for them to fall victim to the birds, but it wasn’t any other Tribute. It was Niall, and even though Zayn knew he wouldn’t be able to attack the District One lad, let alone kill him, he couldn't bring himself to wish death upon Niall by any other means.

So for now he watched the cloud of birds grow closer, for once feeling like a spectator and not a player in the Games.

...

Niall leaned against a tree, chest heaving and his face glistening with sweat. He was trapped in the forest and had no idea where Zayn was. He glanced around, wary of staying still long enough to prompt the Gamemakers to send something else after him.

Sighing he straightened and trotted forward, hoping he was close to his destination.

...

The sun was setting when Niall finally burst through the edge of the rainforest, splashing into the stream. He stumbled and landed on his hands and knees, head bowed in defeat as he waited for the birds to tear him to shreds.

They never did. In fact, the moment his feet touched the water the bird calls ended. Slowly, Niall glanced at the sky and saw stars. The birds had vanished.

Blinking dazedly Niall glanced at his surroundings, eyes falling on the watch tower that had replaced the Cornucopia. The lenses of his night vision goggles were less than perfect but he could make out someone in the tower watching him.

Zayn.

Niall struggled to his feet and moved backwards, deciding to make a campfire and rest before facing the other lad in the morning.

...

Zayn's eyes had been fluttering from the need to sleep when a blond head burst from the trees and splashed into the stream. The moment he had appeared the cloud of birds disappeared leaving the night strangely peaceful.

Zayn stared as Niall lifted his head and saw him. Vaguely Zayn realized that this would be it. He didn't have the skills to beat even an exhausted Niall in combat and he wasn't sure he would be able to end Niall's life even if he got the chance to do so.

Niall stood and turned his back on him and Zayn let out a soft sigh of relief. One more night, that was what Niall was granting him and he was thankful. He lay down and let his eyes ease shut, his hand clenched around the coin that had become more of a comfort than perhaps it had the right to be.

...

Niall's fire was small, and to be honest, a bitter disappointment after the intense twenty-four hours he had just experienced. The Capitol anthem was mocking and he didn't look up to see Liam and Danielle's faces flash across the sky. His hands clenched into fists and his eyes clamped shut as he tried to block out the memory of that morning. It seemed too long ago to be so fresh in his mind.

He let his fire die down before he lay back on the grass. It was surreal, to actually be in the final of The Hunger Games. After working so hard for it everything was actually within his reach, he could picture it vividly. Just one person was left standing in his way. Niall had avoided thinking about this scenario the whole time and now he let himself push it to the back corner of his mind, acutely aware that he was running out of time to make a decision.

He blinked in surprise when a fog settled over the arena, blocking his view of the watch tower holding Zayn. Sighing, Niall turned on his side and drifted off to sleep.

...

_**"Niall Horan is getting chased, perhaps, for the first time in his life."** _

...

_"Hey Horan!"_

_Niall flinched, rapidly picking up his pace until he was jogging. He was still five minutes away from his home maybe he'd get away. They had chased him from far greater distances before and he had gotten away._

_"Metal mouth! I'm talking to you!"_

_A pebble hit the back of Niall's head and he jumped from surprise, and stumbled. His brief moment of imbalance was all it took for his tormentors to catch up with him. He was surrounded by boys all at least a year older than he was, cruel smiles leering down at his shorter, less developed frame._

_"How is it that your brother can be so powerful and you're just dog meat, huh Nail?"_

_"It's Niall," He muttered, keeping his gaze on the ground._

_A fist connected squarely with his stomach, "Did I ask you what your name was, Horan?"_

_Niall doubled over in pain, gasping for air as he rapidly shook his head. A hand yanked his hair, forcing him to look up._

_"Manners, Nail. Look at me when I'm talking to you." He struck Niall across his face._

_"Hey!" A shout made Niall's bullies turn, "Leave him alone or I'll break you!"_

_The circle of boys vanished and Niall looked up at his savior. His older brother looped a hand around his waist to help him complete the walk to their house. They traveled in silence, Niall leaning on Greg for support. Once inside Niall fell into a chair as Greg grabbed ice for his face._

_"You've got to stop letting them beat on you," Greg murmured._

_"Easy for you to say," Niall replied._

_Greg was the perfect student, son, athlete, everything. He was strong, fast, smart and attractive, training to enter The Hunger Games. On the other end Niall was short and still cursed with baby fat, his pale cheeks holding a near permanent blush. His crooked teeth were outfitted with braces and he thought his only attractive feature was his eyes._

_Greg studied him before saying, "We're getting you into training."_

_"For the Games? Niall gasped, "I'd die! If the other kids don't kill me I wouldn't last a day in the arena."_

_"Not true," Greg countered, "If any of those kids want to touch you they'll have to go through me. The training will help get rid of your bullies. Then we will both win the Games."_

_"You're insane."_

_"Aren't we all?"_

...

Niall blinked his eyes open and yawned. The remnants of his dream clear in his mind. That very afternoon Greg had begun teaching him how to fight and two weeks later he was enrolled in training. Training, and puberty, had transformed him until he was what Panem pictured when they thought of a Career.

And he had taught his bullies a lesson within six months.

Niall shook his head to clear it and realized what was happening. The Gamemakers had done this once before, cast a fog over the arena that forced the Tributes to relive important moments in their lives.

Niall lay back down, resigned to whatever dream he would have next and vaguely wondering what Zayn was experiencing.

...

_**"Zayn grew up in a struggling household in an outlying district."** _

...

_Zayn trudged home from school, idly listening to his sisters' chatter. The walk was brief and for that he was grateful as he felt stirrings of hunger in his stomach. Not that there would be much food to pick from when he got home but some food was better than none and since it was his birthday the odds were he would get a bit extra._

_Zayn led the way inside their tiny home, eyes searching for his mother. When he noticed her sitting on the single bed, a frown creased her features._

_"Mum?" He said, moving towards her, "Are you okay?"_

_She looked up, her eyes red from crying, her hand clenched around a piece of paper. Zayn recognized the official seal at the top and felt his heartbeat quicken. Official notices never held anything but bad news, of the things he learned during his ten years of life that was what he considered the most important._

_"Mum?" He tried again._

_She took a shaky breath, "Your father, he's...he..." She couldn't form the words._

_Zayn gently pried the note from her grip and read it, squinting in the hope that the extra concentration would make it easier for his mind to understand._

 

_Notice to the Malik Family;_

_At approximately 14:23 factory worker M27 was discovered trying to steal a piece of steak. In accordance with district policy he was..._

 

_"Exeq...excu..."Zayn stumbled, sounding out the word, "Executed on sight. What does that..?" He trailed off, a lesson from a month prior coming to his mind. His teacher had said the phrase 'death by execution'. Was that..?_

_The color drained from his face and he looked a question at his mother, "Dad?"_

_She nodded, her tears increasing and Zayn stumbled backwards and he let the note drop from his grasp. He ran out of the house and dropped to his knees, trying to hold back the sobs that threatened to escape his tiny frame_

_His father, stealing. Zayn knew his dad had done so for his birthday present. Every year there was an extra bit of meat and now Zayn knew where it came from._

_Footsteps pounded and Zayn looked up to see a pair of Peacekeepers walking by. His face darkened in anger. For the first time in his rather short life Zayn understood what hatred was._

...

**_"Niall Horan of District One, brother of past victor, Greg Horan."_ **

...

_It was the night before Reaping Day. Niall and Greg were sitting in the kitchen in a friendly silence. Niall watched his brother carefully, wondering if he would ever know what was running through his head._

_The announcement, made over dinner, hadn't been much of a shock to the family. Greg was eighteen, it was his last chance and he'd been training for years. Of course he was going to volunteer._

_"What are you thinking about?"_

_Niall glanced up, shrugging, "Dunno really. Everything." He hesitated before saying, "You're gonna come back, right?"_

_Greg grinned, "You really think I'll let those other Tributes get in my way?"_

_Niall chuckled, "I suppose not."_

_"You keep training while I'm gone. I don't want to have to reteach you everything. Your good looks will only get you so fat." He stretched, "I should get some rest, see you in the morning."_

_Niall nodded, "Goodnight."_

_From that word on every part of the 94th Games was a blur to Niall. Watching Greg in the parade, at the interviews, seeing his training score of a ten, everything was less than vivid in his memory._

_What was vivid was the heart stopping fear he had felt when Greg had dashed off his pedestal at the Bloodbath. The endless seconds before he had reached a dagger and plunged it into a girl's gut would haunt Niall in his sleep._

_The arena that year had been swamp land, the Career pack working well together to hunt down weaker Tributes until the boy from Two had tried to kill Greg in his sleep._

_Niall had mouthed a warning to Greg, relieved when his brother woke and drove a sword into the lad above him._

_Greg's Games had only lasted five days before he was crowned victor and when the crowned killer returned home Niall couldn't keep from throwing himself into a hug with Greg. The boy he hugged wasn't his brother. This boy was jaded, distraught, cold and impossible to connect to._

_Niall had decided to volunteer during the airing of the next year's Games, hoping that perhaps the shared experience would repair his relationship with Greg. When he told his brother he was volunteering Greg nodded as if he had been expecting as much._

_"Here," He said, giving Niall the commemorative victor's coin he had received in the Capitol, "So you won't feel as lonely as I did."_

_"Thanks," Nialls smiled softly._

_"And Nialler, make sure to take that mace and shatter a few bones for me." For the first time since he had entered the arena, Greg grinned._

...

**_"One who never wanted to enter the Games."_ **

...

_"Zayn, honey, are you awake?"_

_Zayn rolled over in bed, staring at his mother's figure in the doorway. Of course he was awake, he had never been asleep. Today was Reaping Day and since he had just passed his twelfth birthday it was the first time his name was able to be picked._

_Which in itself would be enough to give him horrible nightmares for several days. But Zayn had taken tesserae from the district on his twelfth birthday. It was a deal with the devil, he could take enough tesserae to feed one person and in payment his name was entered an extra time in the Reaping. Ever since his father died the family has struggled to make up for the loss of income and still feeling like it was his fault Zayn had jumped at the opportunity to bring home more food._

_Granted the tesserae grain and oil wasn't that appetizing but it was better than starving. Yet now his name was in the drawing six times, once because it had to be and once for each family member, instead of one time and he was petrified._

_He rolled out of bed and went to the crude bath his mother had drawn, making sure to clean as best as he could with violently trembling hands. When he was finished he got dressed in a polo, sitting quietly as his mother combed his hair_

_"When it's over you have about half of the day left. We can do whatever you want to celebrate, okay, Zayn?"_

_Zayn nodded, not trusting himself to speak. When his mother was finished she rounded up his sisters and the Malik Family left their house._

_The walk to the town center was silent. The family of five fell into the masses of other families of District Ten. Within thirty minutes Zayn was in line with dozen of other twelve year olds. The ceremony never lasted more than an hour but for Zayn it felt like several lifetimes between when they checked in and when two Tributes were standing on stage. When the crowd was released Zayn stumbled to his mouth, collapsing into her arms._

_"What do you want to do with your day off?"_

_"I just want to sleep," Zayn muttered burying his face in his mother's dress , thankful that she didn't comment on the tears the material was soaking up._

...

_**"Not all the romances in the Games have died out."** _

...

_The calming ambiance of the roof was a mocking contrast to the drumming of Niall’s heart. He kept his eyes focused on the city sprawled beneath him. He was glad for his training, undoubtedly the only reason why he could keep a straight face with thousands of thoughts racing through his head._

_When Zayn asked him to kill him in the arena Niall could feel his jaw twitch and he didn’t look at the other lad for fear of giving away more than he should._

_“Why?”_

_“I’d hope you’d do me the courtesy of getting it over with quickly.”_

_Niall didn’t answer right away as he tried to picture a scenario where he would kill the boy standing next to him. It was harder to picture than he anticipated and the fact made him sigh in exasperation. That shouldn’t be difficult, not for him._

_“Fine,” He spoke as his attention shifted between their conversation of Zayn’s death and his rapidly moving thoughts. He was so distracted that he let slip more information than he had been planning to disclose._

_“I’d rather not kill you. I don’t want to.” The moment the words left Niall’s mouth he flinched slightly._

_Zayn looked confused, and slightly curious, “Why? We hardly know each other.”_

_Niall opened his mouth to reply when he realized he didn’t actually know how to articulate the answer. He met Zayn’s eyes and saw them widen fractionally, probably because of the expression in his own eyes, and he dropped his gaze. His stare unintentionally fell to Zayn’s lips and he shifted on his feet as he tried to sort his thoughts and emotions out.  He met Zayn’s eyes once more and saw a glimmer of something more than curiosity or confusion._

_He reached forward, without considering what he was hoping to achieve, as he took a step closer to Zayn. Nearly simultaneously Zayn moved closer to him and his eyes fluttered shut._

_Niall bit his lip to keep from giggling at how adorable the action was and before he could think about it anymore his lips were pressing on Zayn’s. Niall let his hands wrap around Zayn’s thin waist,  pulling the lad into his body as he pressed more firmly into the kiss. Briefly, he could feel Zayn hesitate but when he slipped his tongue into Zayn’s mouth, with no resistance, Niall could nearly taste the soft moan the action elicited. Niall moved slowly, gently, afraid to scare Zayn awak. When he finally pulled back for air Zayn blinked at him, cheeks flushed._

_“But...why?”_

_Niall rolled his eyes, “Shut up.” He murmured, bringing their lips together again._

_He felt Zayn melt into his arms and when the other lad’s hands rested on his shoulders and one hand toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck Niall almost let slip a moan of his own. When he broke the kiss his mouth moved to litter soft kisses on Zayn's neck._

_"Niall," Zayn breathed, his voice gruff in a way that made Niall wish he had the guts to be riskier than they already were, "We can't...we shouldn't be doing this."_

_"Why do you talk so much?" Niall asked between kisses._

_"This is the Hunger Games."_

_"No it's not, not yet anyways. It will be soon though so time is running out," Niall met Zayn's eyes, "I don't know when, when this started but I could be dead soon so I'm not going to just ignore my feelings."_

_"You? Dead? Yeah right," Zayn snorted._

_Niall grinned, "Just stop talking and let me kiss you."_

_Zayn did so, smiling against Niall's mouth, The Games far away from either boy's mind._

...

Niall sat up, licking his lips as trying to cast off his last dream. He had only kissed Zayn that one night but he could still remember exactly how Zayn's lips had felt against his.

It was that memory that helped make his decision as he stretched and stood, letting his back face the rising sun. He picked up his mace and a dagger, one for show and one that he intended to make use of, his eyes moving to look at the watch tower.

Niall let out a small noise of exasperation before starting forward, headed to one final chat with Zayn Malik.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the giant gap everyone. Hopefully this makes up for it :)


	12. The Victor

The sunlight on his face was warm, welcoming, almost deceitful as Zayn blinked his eyes open to see the gray mortar of the watchtower wall.

“Today’s the day,” He murmured, grinning a bit inspite of himself.

He had always worried about how he would die. His biggest fear was that his death would be sudden, unexpected. Yet today he was waking up with the knowledge that he would never wake up again. It was ironic that his worst fear was resolved in the nightmare of nightmares, a pageant of murder he wouldn’t wish upon anyone save the Gamemakers themselves.

Zayn stood, letting his eyes take a sweep around the arena falling on Niall's campsite. The lad wasn't there Zayn's gaze dropped closer to the tower and focused on the blonde fighter walking towards him Zayn followed Niall's progress for a few seconds each step he took strengthening Zayn's resolve.

Niall had covered half the distance when Zayn picked up his ax, he might as well give a good show, and started down the tower stairs. As he exited the tower he could nearly feel the anticipation of the Capitol. All businesses were probably closed as everyone sat at the edge of their seats, betting at record highs. He could picture his mother at a neighbor's house, anxiously watching, as his sisters stayed home in bed, forbidden from the television. From watching previous Games Zayn could imagine Niall's brother, Greg, standing in the mentor's viewing room, drink in hand was he waited for the inevitable triumph of his brother.

When Zayn stepped out of the tower it was as if he stepped out of the realm of time. Everything was gone save for the pounding of his heart as he walked towards Niall. It took an eternity but finally the finalists stood an arm's length apart.

"Zayn," Niall said, his voice clear of any emotions, any indication of how he felt. His eyes settled for a spot just above Zayn's right shoulder.

"Niall." Zayn replied, forcing the word out of a constricting throat as his body seemed to attempt to shut itself down before Niall got the opportunity to do the honors.

"I believe at one point you mentioned something about not getting this far," Niall said, his voice casual as if they were chatting over lunch, "You underestimated yourself."

Zayn let his eyes travel over Niall's face and arms, picking out scars from his ordeal with the birds, "I really didn't. I'm here by pure luck. I actually acquired a piece of luck, a golden trinket that seems to have worked in my favor."

"Trinkets only work if the one giving the trinket cares about the recipient."

"I was told he did care."

"By who?"

"Him."

Niall's eyes flicked to Zayn's and a brief grin touched his lips and he let silence stretch between the two of them before saying, "Lovely ax, planning on beheading me?"

"Decoration. Can't stand up to that mace of yours."

"Expecting me to kill you?"

"Well, I did ask you to, didn't I?"

Niall shifted on his feet at Zayn's words but his voice was steady as he spoke, "Well, weapon up, Malik. We can't do this without a fight."

Zayn nodded, hefting his weapon and shifting his feet into a fighter stance, setting his jaw as he watched Niall. He vaguely wondered if he had completely misread Niall. Perhaps he had truly just been another one of Niall's lies, a strategy and nothing more.

The flash of Niall's mace swinging cut Zayn from his thoughts and he instinctively raised his arm, bringing the two weapons clashing together in a movement that shook Zayn's entire frame. Niall immediately pulled away and swung again, Zayn's body responding almost of its own volition. He surprised himself with a speed he didn't know he had, swinging once or twice in actions that forced Niall back a few steps. After a particularly violent swing that Niall blocked they were locked together, hilt to hilt.

Niall met his gaze with a wry smile, "You're a natural. A year or so of training and you'd be unbeatable."

"You are unbeatable," Zayn murmured, "You're holding back. Why?"

"Maybe you're just underestimating yourself yet again."

Zayn raised an eyebrow, "Maybe you're just toying with me...is that what you've been doing all along?"

Niall's eyes twinkled with a hidden joke and he cocked his head, "Perhaps I am toying with you, are you mad?"

"Haven't decided yet."

Niall grinned, "Then maybe I'll decide for you."

He pulled away and brought his mace back around with so much force that Zayn had to hop backwards for risk of Niall shattering his arm.

"Come on, _Career_ , stop toying with me and tell me the truth."

Niall considered him for a few moments before shrugging, "Fine. You want to know the truth? Here it is. I'm just playing the game, _Ten_ , none of it was ever true. I just needed an easy finish for the Games, no one was much easier than you. Figured that out when I say you staring at me before the parade."

Zayn shook his hand, "That's a lie."

Niall rolled his eyes, "Wake up, Zayn! Did you really think that the brother or a Victor, a prodigee of District One, would actually let himself fall in love with a low life from District Ten? This is the Hunger Games, love doesn’t exist here, not anywhere in the whole of Panem. I would tell you to grow up, but we haven't much time left for that.”

Zayn stared at Niall in silence, unable to keep the blatant look of betrayal from his face, “No. I’m not just going to let you walk all over me.”

“You don’t actually think you can beat me, do you?”

Zayn glanced at his ax and nodded, “I can sure as hell try. Perhaps you shouldn’t underestimate me.”

Niall laughed, a cold, jeering sound, “Fine, let’s see what you can do.” He launched himself forward, this time meeting greater resistance than before.

Niall’s words echoed in Zayn’s skull, mocking each attack he made and every time he had worried for the other lad during the Games. They drove each swing of his ax home even as tears fought their way past his eyes, blurring his vision.

He was a fool, ignorant and naive to trust a boy who grew up eating food from the palms of peacekeepers. By revealing the truth Niall had given Zayn two things, freedom from his hesitation to hurt the other lad, and a heart that was hurting so severely that Zayn was worried it may stop beating. He was so preoccupied with his own thoughts and emotions that he missed the soft muttering coming from Niall as they fought. The words were spoken too quickly for Zayn to understand even if he had wanted to.

He did notice Niall’s distracted manner. He stepped back and spat on the ground with distaste, “You’re not even paying attention. I want to fight all of you. It’ll make me feel better when I win.”

“You think you have the guts to kill me?” Niall taunted.

“Let’s find out.” Zayn scowled before resuming the battle.

Neither boy kept track of how long they fought, minutes ticking by as they exchanged blow for blow. Zayn fought with more intensity than he had thought himself capable of. Niall fought as he spoke taunts, his eyebrows furrowed in an unsusual amount of concentration for such an experienced fighter. In a move that lasted merely a split second Zayn sent Niall's mace flying, forcing Niall to his knees in the same movement.

Niall slowly raised his gaze to Zayn's, "Well? What are you waiting for? One more swing and you win."

Zayn frowned, "I beat you."

"I'm not dead yet."

"I've seen you fight, Niall, really fight." Zayn paused, his mind racing as he tried to sort out all of his thoughts, " Why did you throw the battle?"

Niall laughed, "You honestly think I'd throw my life away like that? What on earth would make you think that?"

"Because you're a liar. Stand up."

Niall moved to his feet, eyes guarded. His gaze dropped to the ground when Zayn took a step closer to him, their bodies nearly touching.

"You won, stop wasting time and kill me. You don't have any reason to hesitate. I wouldn't hesitate to kill you."

"You already have," Zayn murmured, "I saw the dagger you have in your belt. If I truly meant nothing to you then you would have murdered me a few seconds ago." Zayn searched Niall's eyes trying to puzzle out the lad in front of him, "You were trying to get me to kill you."

Niall sigh, his voice too soft for their audience to pick up, "I knew I could make you mad if I said it was all a lie."

"I don't understand why you'd do that."

Niall shook his head, "Kill me now, Zayn. They're going to get suspicious."

Zayn reached a hand out to Niall but the other lad grabbed it and twisted harshly, yanking Zayn into his body.

"Listen, Zayn. My family is well off, my brother is a Victor. They don't need me like your family needs you. After training I spoke to Greg and he told me about your mother and sisters...and your father. Winning won't do me any favors, but it could do wonders for you."

"Why do you care about my family? You've never met them."

"Because in a different life, one without Panem and the Games, they might've ended up being my family too."

"I'm not killing you, Niall."

Niall made a slight noise of exasperation his hold on Zayn's wrist tightening before he gave Zayn a soft smile, "I wasn't really expecting you to." 

Niall leaned forward and pressed his lips to Zayn's, his free hand settled on Zayn's waist as he kissed the other lad. Zayn went slack in Niall's grip, his hand carding through blonde hair as he melted into Niall, the Games vanishing from his thoughts. He focused on how his body fit perfectly against Niall's and how he was painfully aware of everywhere their bodies touched with a dull ache of wanting more. He let himself be guided by Niall's kiss, not resisting as Niall's hands pulled his arm forward to close his hand around something cool and hard. He was too distracted by how right Niall felt holding him this way to question why Niall circled his own hands around his and guided his arm backwards, bending his elbow.

A sudden gasp of air left Niall's lungs as Zayn's arm was yanked forward until it came to a jarring halt. Zayn's eyes flew open to meet Niall's, they were wide and glazed over with pain.

"Niall?"

Niall looked down and Zayn followed his gaze, his heart plummeting from his chest when he saw the dagger buried in Niall's side with both of their hands on the hilt.

Zayn pulled the blade from Niall's side, his face pale as he net Niall's eyes again, "No. No no no no. Niall. I...I don't want this."

Niall coughed, swaying dangerously on his feet but still managing a grin, "You made me promise."

"Promise? What promise are you fulfilling?"

"One of us will leave this arena alive. Tell your mother I said hi."

Niall's knees buckled and he collapsed. Zayn rushed to keep Niall from hitting the ground. He let Niall rest on a propped knee, placing a hand on his cheek as he cursed the the tears running down his face, "Why?"

"Because you're better than all of us. You deserve it, Zayn?"

"The cost is too high, Niall."

Niall took a labored breath, "You can't tell them what I did. They'd kill you. Tell everyone you finished me off, you have to.Congratulations." He laughed, the sound breathless and faint, "You won."

Zayn gripped Niall's hand, squeezing it as if he could anchor Niall to the arena, "You can't leave me, Niall. I can't handle it. You could. You're so much stronger than me."

"I love you, Zayn." Niall murmured, blinking tears from his eyes until they stopped focusing on Zayn and his chest stopped heaving, leaving one living Tribute in the arena.

The cannon shot ripped through the air, shattering Zayn's last shred of hope. He hunched over Niall, not noticing the tears that splashed on what had been the Tribute from District One. Zayn pressed a kiss to Niall's forehead.

"I love you too, Niall."

A faint humming made Zayn look up and he saw a hovercraft lowering towards him as Claudis Templesmith boomed over the speakers, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Victor of the 96th Annual Hunger Games...Zayn Malik!"

 


End file.
